LIBRARY OF CONGRESS ANAT OO004064380 y f 1 \ ; = ta y f y F, y ! Ss / ; . om ( 1 = \ i y, ; D) ee 1 i a ut I ’ ; ey : é : \ ; i if i : ‘ { Nene via fuk ie it Senn a sR ay one yrinal eas Bhi Rit NA jhobs AMERICAN KENNEL SPORTING FIELD. ARNOLD BURGES. BROOKLYN, N. Y. Deaesee LO VerhS PUBLISHER 1888. COPYRIGHT. D. S. HOLMES. 1883, TABLE OF CONTENTS. | —_—____so+oe—__—_ PAGE PREFACE - = - - - - = e O = Vv Cuap, I, Oricin of THE DOG—SOME SporRTING BREEDs, 9 « JI. Wuar Constitutes a Goop Doe, - 2 24 “ . II. Points in SELECTING A Doe, - - 37 «“ JV. SETTERS, THEIR BREEDING AND COMPARATIVE VALUE, s 2 = ms i bs 68 | “« VV. Tue Best DoG FoR AMERICAN SPORTING =< 00 « VI, BREEDING, RS - = = - - 10g ‘¢ VII, Breakinc Younc anp Otp Docs, - = - 126 | “ VIII, DiIszEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT, - ° 180 | «¢ IX. BrncH SHOWS AND FIELD TRIALS, = - = 214 | ‘“ X. GuNs AND FIELD EQUIPMENTS, - - 2 224 | PRESS OF JENKINS & THOMAS, 8 Spruce Street, N. Y. isi O rs visi Kk ADTONS: CHAMPION QuEEN Map, Illustration on Cover, Mr, Tristam Burges. 1. FRONTISPIECE, - - - - Cut of Author. 2. Dasu II, - - Mr. Llewellins, England. 3, ID Raw), - - - - - Mr. A. Burges. 4. COUNTESS BEAR, - - Mr, Llewellins, England. 5. GLADSTONE, - - - Mr. P. H. Brysons. 6. CouNTESS VESTA, - © Harvard Kennel Club. 7.) ROB NOY, - - - - Mr. A. Burges. Seen Z716 glee ie - ° - Drs. EF. Spier: g. Dasu III, - - - Mr An Me ucker to. DRAKE, - © © ° Mr. Luther Adams; 11, DasHiInG NOYICE, ° - Mr. D. C. Sanborn. 1, | IPANIRTS, - ° - - Mr. &. i. Smith: 13. DaAsHING ROVER, - - =) Mir ai Ee rayon 14. LINCOLN, - : - - Mr. Jas. Dew. ee. JRONLIEODG F< - - - - Mr. EK. E. Hardy. 16. DasHinG MONARCH, - - - Mr. JG. rireomns: 7. GROUSE, als - - - - Willard Bros. 18. LANG, - - - - Mr. Coath, England. iO, $8), - - - - Mr. J. S. McIntosh. 20. MEG, - - - - Nie aie Clarke 2 NOSE, - - - - - Dr. Wm. Jarvis. 22. FausT AND Bow, - - St. Louis Kennel Club. 23. SPECIAL, - - - Mr. Thorp ,Bartram, England. 27. POE LAY = - - - Mr. A. H. Moore. 25. Count BENDIGO, - - - a WGe. jf. 1D, Olicows. 26. Dan O’CONNER, - Milwaukee Kennel Club. 27. NELL AND TRUE, Mr. Bartram and Mr. Norris, England. 28. H. & R. Gun, anp Lock ACTION, 29. RUFFED GROUSE SHOOTING, 30. SNIPE SHOOTING. 31. Dora, - - - - © Luther Adams. 32. Don—PEG—GEORGE, - < Dr. A. Strachan. 32. RECKLESS, - . - - Publisher’s Dog. ACKNOWLEDGMENT, The author is indebted for the greater portion of the cuts of celebrated dogs in the present volume, to Dr. N. Rowe, of the American Field. Others have been contributed by the owners, while that of Druid, and Ruffed Grouse Shooting, have been made from drawings by Mr. J. B. Field, of Detroit. To one and all the author extends his thanks for courteous assistance in the preparation of this book. ee SS Sa JR SIAN ON oe HEN six years since I wrote “The American Kennel and Sporting Field,” and gave therein the first list of canine pedigrees ever issued in this country, I stated in the Preface my intention to revise that list | from time to time, so as to keep pace with the importa- tions and breeding of sporting dogs. This intention was, however, frustrated by the organization of the National American Kennel Club, in 1876, having for its object, among others, the issue of an official stud book, and as I recognized the fact that a National Club could give to such a work a character no private individ- ual could, I withdrew the American Kennel and Sporting Field from competition. The book has consequently remained unrevised till now, and though at the time of its issue, I think I can say it fairly represented the con- dition of our sporting interests with the theories and creeds of that day, the radical changes and developments which have taken place since, render a revision now necessary, to purge the work of its crudities and present inconsistencies. A portion of the original matter has been reproduced in the present volume, but there are oe extensive alterations, additions and some direct Mia ne ta vi | PREFACE. contradictions of former statements. The latter are due to recent revelations of the false character of pedigrees then deemed reliable, and to such revolutions as time has wrought in our sportsmenship. Ina country where field sports have but recently come into general recog- nition, and where but a few years since canine breeding and selling was confined to a disreputable class, a short time naturally produces great alterations, and the writer who honestly tries to keep up with the develop- ments of the day, will find himself compelled to retract assertions, made upon the authority of different circum- stances. In the first volume I acknowledged the possession of strong opinions and views upon different points which would appear in the book, and time has not changed me in this respect. What my views upon certain matters are, has been plainly shown by my writings in 7he A mer- zcan Feld, to which I have been for years a regular contributor, and I need not refer to them more definite- ly at this time. I have always tried to form my opinions slowly, avoiding hasty conclusions, and carefully exam- ining the premises from which I drew my deductions. I have for thirty years led an active sporting life, shooting constantly in the season and breaking my own dogs, so that my opportunities for gaining experience have been neither scanty nor short lived; yet recognizing the fact that each man forms his views from his own . PREFACE, Vil i experience, I concede that others have an indisputable right to differ from me, and that I may even have been misled by circumstances to which others have not been subjected. I have therefor endeavored at all times to show respect for the opinions of others, and if concur- rence with such has been impossible, I have at least tried to disagree with the courtesy a gentleman should show to his peers. The same spirit animates me now in tracing the lines of the present volume. In it I shall give what I believe to be reliable directions, logical deductions and fair conclusions upon the various subjects discussed, but I shall not present them arrogantly or as above criticism. I ask fair criticism and kindly judgment by my fellow sportsmen: the great brotherhood to which I dedicated my first volume, as I now dedicate this. ’ A. B. HituspaLe, Micuican, /une, 1882. TO THE GREAT BROTHERHOOD OF AMERICAN SPORTSMEN, IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR HIGH QUALITIES AS CRACK SHOTS AND TRUE GENTLEMEN, AS WELL AS IN GRATEFUL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE COURTESY WITH WHICH HIS EFFORTS FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE CRAFT HAVE BEEN RECEIVED, THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY Tue AUTHOR, —S Z WZ LWW WG WN eee SSS Wa \ S SAV ASS AAS SSS = LLEWELLIN SETTER, DASH, II, (5039.) Black, White and Tan. (BLUE PRINCE (4259) J. ARMSTRONG’S KATE.) THE American Kennel and Sporting Field. CLARE Re 1. ORIGIN OF THE DOG—SOME SPORTING BREEDS. OR many years it was supposed that the dog was a descendant of the wolf, fox, or jackal, changed by domestication, climatic influences, and association with man, into his present form. Many prominent writers have held this theory, and attempted to prove the con- nection by the fact that the period of gestation in the wolf is the same as that of the dog, and that both the fox and the wolf have an obliquity of vision which is also a peculiarity of the wild dog. In 1837, Bell, ina work on quadrupeds, asserted that the anatomy and osteology of the dog and wolf are identical, and that the two will breed together and their produce be fertile. Similar instances of fertility in the fox and dog cross have also been claimed, and some years since letters appeared in Zhe Feld (London) describing a Vulpo- canine cross, within the personal knowledge of the writer. The editor “Stonehenge,” did not, however, deem this instance conclusive evidence of kinship in species, as the fertility of the progeny was not proved by breeding to the product of a similar cross. Late investigation has brought to light unquestionable evidence that the dog will breed with the wolf and cayote, and produce fertile offspring, which would not be the case if the species oe IO AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. ——<————— were dissimilar. Notable instances of this are found among the Indian dogs of the West, and by scientific men the dog is now regarded as the descendant of a. combination: of crosses ani wolves, foxes and jackals, and not a distinct species. Troops of wild dogs may be found on both hemi- spheres. Thereare varietiesin China, Australia, and both of the Americas, but in each country the different individ- uals present the same peculiarities of treacherous disposi- tion and uniformity of color and form, joined toa low order of instinct. Some ofthese, as for example the Dingos of Australia live in burrows, and do not bark until captured and taught by association with domesticated dogs. Just when the dog was domesticated and made the companion and servant of man is a question which can- not be answered. The early history of his race is wrapped in the obscurity of a far distant past. From Holy Writ we gather proofs of his presence in the tents of the Israelites, while the historian speaks of him as a retainer in the households of the ancient Greeks and Romans. In the British Museum there is a das relief exhumed from the ruins of Nineveh which repre- sents the dog as taking part in the chase, and relics of later days from Pompeii present him in all the familiar relations which he bears at the present day. It is certain, then, that for many ages the dog has been associated with man, following his fortunes, and rendering him faithful and loving service. Confined to no particular division of the globe, but essentially cos- mopolitan, he exists wherever man dwells, and relatively keeps pace with his master in development of intelli- a ee, 7 SOME SPORTING BREEDS. Wat gence and the higher attributes of his nature. It is very reasonable to suppose that the dog, like many other species of animals, was divided into differ- ent families, according to the localities in which he dwelt, and the influences to which he was subjected. Starting with this assumption, we can much more easily understand the difference in size and qualities which now mark the race. Between the ponderous bulk of the St. Bernard or Mastiff and the fragile form of the toy terrier there is too wide a margin for us to conceive it the result of breeding alone, and we have only the alternative of considering them descendants of two different branches, though of the same species. The same may be said with equal justice of each of our present breeds, with the exception of those which we can trace directly back to an origin in the cross of two breeds. As for the qualities which, not less strongly than difference of form, distinguish different varieties of dogs, these are beyond question due to education. A mere instinctive action, called out and displayed by accident, has been recognized by man as calculated to promote his pleasure or profit, and consequently he has turned his attention to its development; through generation after generation this training has gone on till the dog has progressed to a point of cultivation far in advance of his former ability, and the performances of educated instinct raise the animal nearly to the alti- tude of a reasoning being. I do not propose in this work to consider any other dogs than those devoted to field sports, nor even to take up the entire list of these, but to confine myself 12 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. to Setters, Pointers, Spaniels, Retrievers, and certain breeds of Hounds, since these are the dogs especially adapted to the pursuit of American game. [ shall speak of these in the order to which I consider them entitled, describing English varieties, as they undoubt- edly afford a better standard than our own. The best English authorities among whom I may mention “Stonehenge,” Laverack, and “ Idstone,” all say that the setter is a dzrect descendant of the land Spaniel, and speak of a “Setting Spaniel” as the first Setter. There is no doubt that this is a correct theory, and that our Setter isa pure, unadulated, but improved, Spaniel. “Stonehenge” says :‘A Duke of Northumberland train- ed one to set birds in 1555, and shortly after the Setter was produced.” It must be borne in mind that the “Setting Spaniel” was a different dog from the Spaniel of the present time, which does not display a faculty for setting or pointing game. The old Setting Spaniel has lost his identity by merging it in his descendant, the Setter; and has become extinct by the breeding of an improved animal. ‘Idstone,” in his work on the dog says: ‘The English Setter was known in England many years before the Pointer was introduced, and I have little doubt that he followed the Romans, or was brought with them.” “Stonehenge” also says: “He is the most national of all our dogs, and certainly has existed for four centuries.” In another place he quotes from the work of Richard Surflet, who wrote in the year 1600, and as the extract contains a good description of the original Setter, I give a portion of it as follows: “After describing Spaniels ‘which delight in plains and the open SOME SPORTING BREEDS. 13 fields,’ and others more adapted for covert, he goes on to say, ‘There zs another sort of land spannyels which are called setters, and they differ nothing from the former but in instruction and obedience, for these must neither hunte, range nor retaine more or less than as the master appointeth, taking the whole limit of what- soever they do from the eie or hand of their instructor. They must never quest at any time, what occasion soever shall happen, but as being dogs without voices, so they must hunt close and mute. And when they come upon the haunt of that they hunt, they shall sodainely stop and fall down upon their bellies, and so leasurely creep by degrees to the game till they come within two or three yards thereof, or so neare that they cannot press nearer without danger of retrieving. Then shall youre setter s¢zc#, and by no persuasion go further till yourself come in and use your pleasure.‘” Thus we see that our Setter was evolved by educa- tion from a dog that did not point naturally, but owing to the small demand at that time for pointing dogs, a portion of the originals was left uneducated, and from such have descended the present breeds of field Spaniels. Although it is claimed that the dogs of our ancestors were superior to our own, this is undoubtedly an error. If we may form any opinion from a comparison of the picture of dogs of half a century back with the prize winners of to-day, it is certain that our dogs are infinite- ly in the ascendent. This, too, is the opinion of “Stonehenge,” while Laverack maintains the reverse. It seems to me a strange thing, if, with a constantly increasing love for field sports, and, as a consequence, 14 - AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. —— an equally increasing care in breeding, the dog should have degenerated. There were doubtless staunch sports- men in the olden days, yet no one considers them equal in appliances, at least to the sportsmen of this age; and I must confess that I believe the performances of their dogs have been exaggerated in transmission to us, or blindly upheld from a conservative spirit similar to that which so constantly manifests itself in the complaint of the aged, that things have changed for the worse since they were young. Be this as it may, it is certain that we have now dogs half human in intelligence, and bearing in their veins the blood of canine kings; and, as during the last quarter of a century the race has been unquestionably improved, it is still reasonable to suppose that the acme of perfection has not yet been reached, and that qualities are still latent which will be brought out under a judi- cious course of breeding from seleaiad animals, The trans-Atlantic Sie family is divided into three great national classes, the English, Irish, and Gordon or Scotch varieties; each with its strongly marked distinctions of form, color and general style. These may be considered the only Setters worthy of note; for though there are certainly a number of continental breeds, they cannot compare with those I have men- tioned, In this country our best dogs are, those recently imported or the descendants of such imported stock, although we now and then find a dog to which the title ‘“‘native” may be aptly applied (since all trace of his descent from any particular strain has been lost) that in the field can, for nose, pace and staunchness SOME SPORTING BREEDS. 5 hold his own against any of his more aristocratic con- | freres. Here, however, he stops, since for stud purposes such dogs are valueless. and only upheld by prejudiced persons like the old fogies who, with equal sense and propriety, prefer the muzzle loader to the breech loader. The Setter is the favorite with American sportsmen generally, and, for my part, I think he is fully entitled to this honor; since both my own experience, and such evidence as I have been able to collect, show that he is undeniably better adapted for all kinds of work than any other field dog. As to which of the three varieties is the best, it is a point upon which there is a difference of opinion, as each breed has its friends, but if the repeated proofs of superiority afforded by both trials and bench shows have any weight, it cannot be denied that the English Setter stands at the head of the list as the best and handsomest dog of the day. It was not until the Setter had been for many years | a resident of Great Britian that the Pointer made his first appearance in that realm, being imported from Spain, by some admirer of his keen nose and indomit- able staunchness, The original color was liver and white, and the dog was large-boned, with a heavy head and slack loins. In the field he possessed exquisite scenting powers, but was surly and cross in disposition, stubborn, and almost devoid of affection for his master. Of his origin nothing is positively known, but most of the old time authorities consider him a cross from some of the larger hounds. Whatever may have been the descent of the old Spaniard, whether pure or of a hound extraction as | a eee 16 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. these authors assert, the modern Pointer is essentially a made-up dog. From his slow and pottering style, the Spaniard soon came to be regarded with disfavor, and breeders cast about them for some cross which would produce a dog perpetuating the nose and staunchness of his ancestor, but gifted with a better form and morespeed. To gain these, Fox-hound blood was introduced with the happi- est results; and towards the close of the last century, ‘“ Dash,” a liver and white dog belonging to Col. Thornton, showed such superior qualities that he was sold for one hundred and twenty guineas and a cask of Maderia. This cross introduced different colors, and we have now the self or uniform colors,—such as white, liver, black,—and the black and tan, and mixed colors. Various other crosses have been introduced from time to time, as experiments, until the dog of to-day is the result of several combined strains of blood. The Pointer has no such strongly marked divisions as the Setter, and the principal distinction between families lies in the color which has been adopted and bred by different sportsmen. Stonehenge says in his third edition of Dogs of the British Isles, ‘There are two distinct varieties strongly marked by color, viz:.the lemon and white and the liver and white, besides the black and white, the whole liver and the whole black strains; but these last are not common in the present day, and the appearance of one upon the show bench is almost as rare asa black swan.” Custom has also divided Pointers into classes according to size, viz: the large and small. The weight of the large Pointer is from fifty-five me Importer&QOwner ARNULD BURGES, Breeder Mr. LLEWELLIN Simons Naty Tait Aoi H ae rane WR, as SOME SPORTING BREEDS. Ty, pounds upwards, and of the small variety from forty-five to fifty, the bitches in each class being from five to ten pounds lighter than the dogs. The greatest fault (and it is undeniably a great one) in the modern Pointer is his delicacy. While the Spanish Pointer was a rough-coated, thick-skinned animal, the dog of this day hasa fine, satin-like coat, -andaskin so thin that he is unfit for cold or severe work upon the half-frozen marshes. or in thorny covers. He may, indeed, exdure such for a time, through sheer pluck and courage, but it is only a question of time with him, and he must eventually succumb to wounds, sore feet, or frost. According to Stonehenge, the modern field Spaniels are divided into the modern cockers, which class includes every kind of field Spaniel, except the Sussex and Clumber, (known as Springers), and the English and Irish water Spaniels. The Norfolk was formerly in- cluded among the Springers, but is now classed as a cocker. He is taller than either of the Springers and more active, being very setter-like in style of action. In color he is generally liver and white, though sometimes black and, white and rarely lemon and white. The Welsh and Devon cockers are also liver and white. These dogs have been crossed with the Springers to give them size, and they now weigh from thirty pounds upwards, There are a great many other varieties of cockers differing in size and color, black being a favorite with present breeders. The Clumber is named from a seat of the Duke of Newcastle in Nottinghamshire, where the breed origin- Ee 18 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. ated. This is a long-bodied, short-legged dog, standing only about eighteen inches in height, and weighing about forty-five pounds. In color, he should be pure white, with fale lemon marking, the coat being soft, silky, and straight, but not very heavy. The ears are unlike those of other Spaniels, being shaped like the Setter’s, and scantilly feathered below the leather. He is 2 mute dog, and never gives tongue upon game when well broken. Being essentially a land Spaniel, he does not like water; but is especielly fitted for thorny covers, where he is from his keen nose, a sure finder of game. Next in importance comes the Sussex, which previous | to 1872, was not separately classed, but was exhibited among the large Spaniels. Breeders of the Sussex Spaniels claim that this dog must not only be of a liver color himself but descended from parents of that color, and Stonehenge mentions the protesting of Mr. Bullock’s George at Birmingham in 1874, because his sire was black; an objection since held as valid. The Sussex is a smaller dog than the Clumber, weighing. about ten pounds less, but, like him, powerfully made. The ear is moderately long, rounded or lobe-shaped at the tip, set low on the head, and hanging close to the cheeks. Unlike the Clumber, the Sussex gives tongue upon his game, but in subdued tones, free from babbling or clamor if well broken. He has also less dislike for water, and when well handled is a valuable dog, as he is a careful and fast worker, being faster than the Clumber. He takes pleasure in the pursuit of game and makes a fine retriever. SOME SPORTING BREEDS, 19 Of the water Spaniels there are but two pure varieties, viz., the English and Irish. The former is now very nearly extinct, though a single specimen may still be occasionally met with. About the first of the present century, as we learn from the writers of those times, this dog was common, and principally employed in hunting wild fowl. In form he was a large-sized, well- built dog, invariably liver color with a white ring round the neck and down the breast, and a narrow strip of white down the face. The stern was well feathered and bushy, and the ears rather small. As this dog was used only as a retriever, and was apt to be hard-mouthed, he has of late years given place to the improved retriever, and with the decrease in demand for his services the breed has been allowed to run out. In Ireland, the water Spaniel has been brought up to a high degree of perfection, and is, indeed, a very valuable animal. There are two varieties in the king- dom, known as the northern and southern Spaniel. These vary in color, coat and form, Of the two the southerner is greatly the superior, especially those known as the McCarthy breed, which is now considered as ¢he type. Unlike the northern dog, which was white, or liver and white, in a majorty of cases, these dogs have no white, but are a rich dark liver. The ears of the northern dog are very short, but in McCarthy’s breed measure about twenty-six inches from tip to tip. The body is covered with close, stiff curls, and a mask or top-knot of long hair runs down to the middle of the forehead, and extends back to the top of the head in the form ofa V. The tail is large at the junction with the ooo — 20 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. body, but tapers quickly to a sharp, sting-like point, being short and unfeathered. In height, the dog is from twenty-three to twenty-five inches. These are superior water dogs, and make fine retrievers as their coats dry | quickly, and they are thus saved much discomfort and hardship from exposure to cold and frost. As in England, Setters and Pointers are not allowed to retrieve; dogs bred for that special duty are needed there, but in this country where retrieving is so com- monly taught, the class of retrievers proper is a small | one, and confined to dogs used in wild fowl shooting. In most sections purely bred Irish Water Spaniels are used, and are so well adapted for the purpose, that only the limited use there is for them, prevents their taking a prominent place in the list of our sporting dogs. On the Chesapeake, and along the neighboring coast, there was, before the war, a breed of duck retrievers of great local renown; but the war called many of the duck shooters into service, the breed became scattered, and despite the efforts of a few gentlemen, and the encour- agement attempted by the establishment of a special class for Chesapeakes at some shows, they have practical- ly passed away. In a later chaper, I shall quote a description of these dogs, as they were essentially American retrievers, and the only breed of such, native to this country. The Hound class is also a small one, comprising Fox-hounds, beagles, and a few Dachshunds, Fox- hunting was before the war, a favorite sport with wealthy southern sportsmen, and a few fine, well-bred packs were kept up. Of late years, it has been taken up in English SOME SPORTING BREEDS. elt style by clubs in the Eastern States, but will never become generally popular, as a great majority of our land owners will not permit their fields to be over-run by hounds and horsemen. All over the country there are individual sportsmen who delight in what is called fox-hunting, that is, driving the fox to the gun, vulpecide, which would arouse the rage of an English “WEF: Ei.,” beimg the common practice here. Dogs of this breed are used in this country for all game pursued with hounds. The Hare, (commonly called Rabbit, ) Deer and Foxes, are all killed before them, according to the tastes or opportunities of the sportsmen. Abroad, different varieties of game are pursued by different hounds, but this distinction will not prevail here, gener- ally, as it would entail the maintainance of kennels too extensive and costly for the majority of sportsmen. In them old Ycountriessthe sports) of the field “are the prerogative of the wealthy class, but in a country where every man may bea sportsmen if so inclined, wealthy men are exceptional and those of moderate means the rule. Beagles are comparatively scarce here and but little used in the field, though they muster in some force at our shows. They were formerly used in England for hunting the hare, but now are worked on rabbits and followed on foot, affording good practice in running. They were originally bred very small, as are indeed the standard dogs of the day, though large ones are preferred for work over our rough ground. “Stonehenge” says: “Foot-beagles should not much exceed nine inches in height, but for Young England they are often used up 292 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. to eleven and even twelve inches, going a pace which requires a good runner in prime condition, to keep up with them.” One famous pack mentioned by both “Stonehenge” and “Idstone” as, in the words of the latter, ‘the best pack probably ever seen or bred” belongs to Mr. Crane of Southover House, ‘near Dorset, whose standard is ze inches. These little fellows are fast workers, seldom failing to kill their rabbit in from five to seven minutes. They have full, rich voices, and the keenest of noses, seldom being thrown out by any disadvantage of ground or circumstances, In the days of Queen Bess, Beagles were bred as small as possible, and it is said a pack could be carried ina man’s glove. This is, of course, only a figure of speech, but there was actually a well-known pack that was transported from place to place in panniers. The small or dwarf Beagle should be a powerfully built dog with largely developed hindquarters, in fact, a miniature fox-hound. ‘The measurements of Damper, a model dog from Mr. Crane’s pack, are as follows: height, nine inches; round the chest, sixteen inches; across the ears, twelve inches; extreme length, twenty eight inches; from eye to nose, two and one-eighth inches. In color there is no fixed rule, though the blue mottle of the Harrier is a great favorite, as are also) the yellow or are) piess lites, however, essential to breed for qualities, and to do this no particular color can be insisted on. Dachshunds are so few in numbers they can hardly be said to hold a place among our field dogs, yet cannot be entirely ignored, as they are exhibited at the princi- © pal shows, and are used to some extent in the field. It a ee em SOME SPORTING BREEDS. 23 —_. is claimed they possess extremely keen noses and great stoutness in pursuit of game, which from their lack of speed they are well fitted to drive to the gun. They are dogs of peculiar formation, being extremely long in body and low on the legs. The front legs are, in the pure varieties, so crooked that the feet stand out, giving them a very ungainly appearance in motion. At home they are used to drive badgers out of their holes, and in England they have been tried on both badgers and foxes, but by many good judges, are not considered equal to terriers for this work. In this country they are used for rabbit hunting. 24 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. GEAR WIR 11: WHAT CONSTITUTES A GOOD DOG. OWEVER much critics may differ upon minor points there can be no doubt of their all agreeing that the essential points of agood dog are nose, staunch- ness, pace, endurance, intelligence and high breeding. These must be present in the highest degree of perfec- tion, and are each of such primary importance that the absence of either will at once stamp the dog as an inferior animal. It is impossible, provided these quali- ties exist in a proportionate and well-balanced degree, that any animal can be too largely endowed with them ; but this perfect combination is a thing of rare attainment, and hence it is that so many fall short of the standard of excellence. A brief consideration of each point will soon satisfy all of the importance. of these qualities, and show how great are the requirements of a perfect animal. NOSE. By zoseis meant that keen and sensitive condition of the olfactory nerves which enables the dog tosnuff “the tainted gale,” and follow the unseen trail of the skulking grouse or cock to the very spot where it lies hid. To do this under favorable conditions of wind and ground is an easy task, and one that an ordinary animal can RSS = WES SSELSS RQ SOS Ak SN AS BSN SS Way WN XN AN \ win \\ \. K \NWY AN Wi \ \ 4 \ \ \\ SSeAWwy Wy 2 A) ie VSN SN ONAN —— NZ 5 og ia < 3 >? 7 SY SUPE =f = SS = RO 5 eee 2 SSS == 5 Sse = SS SNe ERGO LLEWELLIN SETTER, COUNTESS BEAR, 5064,) Lemon and White, (DAN, (1836)—COoUNTESS, (1485.) PMN) De ae mei wie aly ht SG Nae yoy aie Cui AGiatct OA ye i 1A) WEA ICONS iG S: AY GOOD DOG. 25 accomplish ; but when these conditions are not present and the ground and wind beara faint and baffling scent, an acuteness of perceptive faculty is required, belonging _only to the superior dog. To deserve such a high rep- utation a dog must be able to catch the faintest taint while going at full speed up or across the wind, to detect at once the presence of a close-lying bevy or a single bird, and to locate it with certainty. In snipe-shooting many men beat their ground down wind, as by doing so they get easier shots, and here instead of being a help to the dog, each puff of wind is a disadvantage ; yet with a good nose he will pick out and point his birds in front or on either hand with the same certainty that he would if the wind was full in his face. The szazner in which a dog carries his nose is far from an unimportant matter, since what avails it that the nose be naturally good, pro- vided it is so carried that its power cannot be brought into play? In this connection experience has taught us two things, viz: First, that as the scent naturally rises, and is the strongest in the air, a high-headed dog can wind a bird much farther than the low-headed one that follows by foot trail. Second, that where birds are wild, the dog that carries his nose up, drawing the scent directly from the body of the bird, can approach much nearer to the game than the dog that roads it up. So marked have been the proofs of this, that “low nose, no nose” has become with many sportsmen an accepted rule, to which the few exceptions furnish corroborative testimony. From these facts it becomes evident that to take a high rank for nose, style of carriage is justly regarded as a very important point; and I am satisfied | 26 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. that all sportsmen who like myself have followed the dogs on bad scenting days over rough mountain ridges after the lordly ruffed grouse, and who have seen some cautious high-headed setter get point after point before his lower-headed companion, will join me in upholding a rule which forms the best standard for the selection of animals worthy of the breaker’s time and trouble. STAUNCHNESS. After the ability to find game, comes that staunchness or retention of point which allows the sportsman to reap the reward of his arduous labors. How aptly come now to mind the words I have already quoted, ‘‘then shall your setter stick”—yes, stand firm as a rooted pine, fixed and immovable. The beauty of such a point with all its attractive details of attitude, rigid, yet thrilling © and quivering with latent life; its expression eloquent with mingled excitement, caution and pleasure, as_ the hot scent is eageriy drunk up by the broad expanded nostrils, would furnish a fitting subject for the artist’s pencil if it was not far beyond the power of any pencil, even that of England’s great master of animal painters. Inspiring as such a spectacle is, the practical benefits of thorough staunchness are of much more consequence, as without this quality the setter or pointer is no better than the spaniel, if as good. In working up and finding game, especially in small patches of thick cover, a good spaniel will undoubtedly find as many birds as either ; but as he makes no point, many shots are lost from the inability of the shooter to get a favorable position before starting his bird. With athoroughly staunch and relia- ss WHAT CONSTITUTES A GOOD DOG. 27 ble setter I think more ruffed grouse can be brought to bag than over any other dog living. This bird, from his extreme wildness, requires more care on the part of the dog than any other, and I have spent many days in the woods with spaniels when I could scarcely get a shot, while with a well-broken setter, that would stand the moment he caught the scent, and at the word crawl slow- ly and with frequent pauses up to the bird, I have made good bags over the same ground whereon I had form- erly failed. I do not think it possible for a dog to be too staunch, though I have seen some that were very diff- cult to break from this very quality, as it was almost im- possible to make them leave the first point and move up to the bird. Experience and good handling will however teach an intelligent dog to modify this super staunch- ness without running into the opposite extreme, and thus modified, it is of the highest value. Probably no dog ever had staunchness so largely developed as the old Spanish pointer, which “Idstone” says (quoting from the Sporting Magazine) has been known to stand “for as many as twelve hours;” and in another place he speaks of an instance related to him by a reliable witness, who “came upon a dog which had been frozen dead upon his point, probably being overlooked or lost by his owner towards the decline of day; but there was the poor victim, stark and dead—a martyr to his profession, a victim to his training and culture.” It is true that our dogs do not make such lasting points as this; and, indeed, it would be the height of cruelty to try a dog in such a manner; But we have dogs staunch enough for | all practical purposes, and during my own experience | 28 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. can recall many cases where dogs have been lost in thick cover and found perhaps an hour afterwards, standing staunchly. I also once owned a black and blue dog that I do not think could be induced by any means to break his point after once reaching his bird. I tried to teach him to put up his birds at the word, but in vain, for rather than go on he would charge to point—this was, however, only the case with birds that had not been fired at, as I had no trouble in making him retrieve a dead or wounded bird even after pointing it.. Of such absolute importance do I consider staunch- ness, that if I had a dog which possessed in an eminent degree every other qualification but was unreliable in this respect I would not give him kennel room. I have frequently heard men (who, to do them justice, were good shots,) say that they did not care to havea dog stand any longer than just to show that he had found; but I still say that when I do not care to have a dog stand I will take up with a spaniel, for so long as I follow a setter I want him to show this most beautiful and convincing proof of his ancient and royal blood. IANGIEY. Pace is but another name for the speed which a dog exhibits in beating his ground. Within proper bounds it is in the highest degree essential, because it saves the sportsman both time and labor in filling his bag. With a slow dog, the gun must either follow all over a field or wait at the end of the beat till the potterer has come up. Any one who has seen a fine, high-couraged dog hunting at a slashing gallop, losing no time over blank WHAT CONSTITUTES A GOOD DOG. 29 ground, but speeding on to the corner where the bevy lies hid, and there finding his birds in half the time his slow brother would consume, will fully appreciate the difference in style of the two systems. In shooting pinnated grouse upon the prairies we find a sport which more than any other upon this continent, resembles foreign grouse-shooting ; and here, from the wide range of country to be beaten, we need pace to get over the ground. The same may be said of snipe and quail- shooting in an extensive open country, but where the fields are small, or for cover work, a high rate of speed is undesirable. In hunting woodcock and ruffed grouse in close cover, the dog must, as a rule, keep within shot of the gun, for beyond this he will be liable to be lost when standing, to say nothing of causing the loss of all shots at birds which rise wild or will not lie to point. Up to a certain limit then, pace is a consumma- tion devoutly to be wished for; but decidedly there are limits which cannot be passed without entailing a greater loss than gain. As, for example, a prominent English breeder says he “does not want a dog that will find the greatest number of birds in a given piece of ground, but one that will find the greatest number in a day.” Virtually this means that he considers it of no con- sequence if the dog runs into or by a part of a scattered pack, provided he has speed enough to find a fresh pack quickly. This may do for field trials, or even on well- stocked ground, but it will not do for general work in this country, as game is none too plentiful, and our sportsmen especially need a dog that will find single birds after a bevy has been broken up; and a dog which 30 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. goes so fast that he over-runs close-lying birds or flushes those he would point if slower, is worthless and as a practical worker will be beaten out of sight by those of more moderate pace. Our field trial rules with their large allowance of points for pace, together with ‘the writings of profess- ional breakers who have made reputations by running fast dogs under those rules, are fostering a craze for excessive speed all over the country, which cannot fail to be highly detrimental to the interests of some sections. Speed should be proportional to the kind of work done and the character of the country hunted. With birds that must be cautiously approached, a slashing style of going is fatal to sport, so too in a country of small in- closures, all speed in excess to that necessary to thoroughly cover the ground, is not only useless but also an unnecessary tax upon the dog’s powers, and a direct promoter of evil habits, as when the field has been gone over, the dog while waiting for the gun must either work it a second time, lie down, or poke about the fence corners. In a prairie country, speed within the bounds of endurance is an advantage, but all our shooting is not done on such ground, and field trials which are conducted by a National Club, and presumably in the interests of the entire country, should not be so run that they tend to promote the breeding of dogs good only in certain sections. It is but a short time since a well known New England Sportman, and the owner of a noted field trial crack, wrote me in regard to the selection of a dog. ‘While you and I would not give a cent for a flyer for work, the rules governing speed at WHAT CONSTITUTES A GOOD DOG. Bi trials are such that only a flyer has any chance.” Thus we see, men who shoot in a country where dogs of moderate pace are better than any others, are forced, if they wish to take part in trials, to own dogs they have no other use for, and which they must keep simply as kennel celebrities or take to the prairies for work. Luxuries which only rich men can afford. If this was the only evil resulting from the trial rules it could be endured, because those who do not want flyers could keep away from trials, but it is only one evil and not the greatest, for the reputation of winning makes the dog sought for in the stud, and he gives to his progeny the speed which so largely contributed to his success. The progeny are sold all over the country, and men who, from lack of experience in breaking, can- not control the natural tendency to fast wide range, find they have dogs on their hands they cannot break, and as a natural consequence give them up and will have nothing more to do with the breed, believing the -cause of their disappointment peculiar to the strain. The great majority of our trial runners are recent im- portations or their direct descendants. ‘They are the best bred dogs in the country, so that the rules which tend to induce breeding for speed, tend as directly to pre- vent the spread of this pure blood in those sections where speed is not wanted. Another bad result, not less certain in the future, is loss of endurance, for though a few individuals may be able to endure the strain of going fast and long, such ability is as exceptional in dogs as in other animals. In breeding for any one quality others must necessarily 32 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. be sacrificed to it, unless a special effort is made to breed them upalso. To breed a dog that is a combina- tion of good qualities, is much more difficult than to breed with a single quality, and this extra effort will not be made unless it is encouraged by some competi- tion where it will help to win. Field trials cannot be made tests of endurance, and thus the present ruling tends directly to induce breeding for the quality most destructive to endurance without affording any compen- sation. The result of such action cannot be a matter of doubt, and must be that which I have indicated. ENDURANCE. Upon a dog’s power of endurance practically de- pends his usefulness in the field, since no matter what his other qualities may be, if he has not the ability to stand work he cannot display those qualities to any ad- vantage. If we may judge of the condition of things abroad,- by the assertions of English writers, we are justified in thinking that most breeders there have developed pace at the expense of staying powers as it is well known it is customary to work one brace or team of dogs in the morning and another in the afternoon. This may be well enough for foreign sportsmen, who have large kennels at their command, but it would soon put an end to sport in this country, where a majority of men own but one dog, and frequently require him to work two or three weeks in succession. In speaking of the most convenient, because most distinguishable, colorior a dog, ““Idstone” says: “ Vhis, howeveig vis certain, that wide rangers are often lost on a dark moor Daa Aan RL eae (any sth ate mt na SNR ee yan Pe cet ( WU salts \ LLEWELLIN SETTER, CHAMPION GLADSTONE, (7152) Blue Belton. 100C)—PETREL.) (DAN, (1: ———__ 7 WHAT CONSTITUTES A GOOD DOG. 2, and on a hazy day, and thesportsman’s sight is frequent- ly damaged by the constant watching of his scarcely visibly leash of pointers.” The speed with which such dogs hunt can be estimated if we consider after pointing their game staunchly till the gun comes up, they are then expected to again make themselves “‘scarcely visible” as soon as possible; and this to be repeated as often as they find game. Such work would wear out anything; and as a dog is at best only a highly-trained organism | of bones, muscles and sinews, it must be expected that a very few hours of such tremendous exertion will bring him to astand-still, without he is possessed of endurance of a very high order. It is but common justice for me to say that all dogs bred abroad are not lacking in endurance, for there are many gentlemen in this country who will bear out the assertion, that the Llewellins possess this to a rare degree, and there are doubtless others which are hardy and enduring, but too many at least are lacking in this essential quality. Nowhere is endurance more impor- tant than in this country, owing to the amount of work demanded from our dogs, so that it is specially necessary to restrain the desire for speed within reasonable bounds, and to breed for the qualities that promote staying powers. The qualities upon which this depends are good constitutions and strong vigorous frames, but even with these given, they must be kept in condition by proper attention to exercise at all times, since no matter how hardy the dog may naturally be, his ability to hunt day after day is contingent upon his muscles being firmly strung, his wind clear, and his feet so hardened pees 34 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. that they will not become sore from contact with rough, uneven surfaces, and this can only be induced by a sys- tematic course of regular exercise. A dog without thorough endurance is not worth his keep for either field or stud purposes; but it is rank injustice to condemn an animal before pausing to consider whether the fault be his own or his master’s. I have already shown that pace can be cultivated to a degree far in excess of the true balance, but the same cannot be said of endurance. No dog can by any possibility carry this to an undue extent, or become too strong and tireless. Every ad- ditional day that he is able to work adds to rather than detracts from his value; and he is indeed a fortunate man who owns a dog for whom no day is so long or hard that he will not give the gun a joyous welcome on the succeeding morning. INTELLIGENCE. The ability of the dog to acquire quickly and retain his breaking is a matter of great importance, since it not only facilitates the breaker’s work, but also allows him to carry it to a far greater extent than where this talent is absent. ‘There are as widely different degrees of zz¢el/7- gence between dogs as between members of the human family, but I think I am safe in claiming that, as a rule highly-bred dogs possess greater intelligence than their plebeian brothers. It is generally claimed that a dog does not possess reasoning power, but that his actions are purely instinctive; yet we often witness exhibitions of a faculty which trenches so closely upon the bounda- ries of the nobler attribute that it is hard to say where WiTAT CONSHIRURES A GOOD DOG. 35 the dividing line is drawn. It is this capacity for ap- preciating and combining facts which enables the intelli- gent dog to acquire such a knowledge of the habits and nature of his game that he is often able to outwit the bird by a display of superior tactics. An ordinary dog soon learns to follow a trail till the bird flushes or lies to point; but it requires a higher order of intellect to prompt a dog voluntarily to head a running bird so as to get it between himself and the gun. A truly in- telligent dog is constantly advancing; his instinct or mind never rests, but goes on adding to its store of ex- periences, so that when any emergency arises he is pre- pared to meet it with a corresponding action unerringly directed towards the attainment of success. That most eloquent of sporting writers, Herbert, known to the craft as “Frank Forrester,” in speaking of breeding, said: “In all animals, from man down to the bullock and Berkshire hog I am an implicit believer in the efficacy of blood and breeding to develop all qualities, especially courage to do, and courage to bear, as well as to produce the highest and most delicate nervous organization; and I would as willingly have a cur in my shooting kennel as a mule in my racing stable, if I had one.” In this theory Herbert is thoroughly supported by all experienced breeders. ‘ Blood will tell” is not more an old saying than a positive fact, and though there is no rule without its exceptions, there are probably fewer exceptions to this than to any other. By delicate nervous organization is not meant a lack of strength, but that keen faculty of perception and ap- preciation which is essentially intelligence, so that if 26 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. blood, according to Forrester, gives the one, it as certainly induces the other. —————— a — =<—— THE GELEBRATED BLAGK,WHITEano TAN FIELD TRIAL SETTER DOG- 0760 “1B i ib ON. 6s (SYKES DASH—DAISY.) (S8PL) “SSHINQ09--(‘9¢81) ‘NVG) ‘VISHA SSHLNNOO ‘AMHALLAS NITTIAMATI SELECTING A DOG. 27 (CBU IE TD Webi) WIN POINTS IN SELECTING A DOG. N selecting an unbroken dog only blood and points of form can be considered, but in purchasing one that is broken, the field quality should also be tested. At first sight it may seem that form should rank before blood, but I think not, because through pure blood we get a guaranty of field quality, which will, in a majority of cases, be fully sustained when the dog comes to be broken, and again, though good formis highly essen- tial, it cannot be depended upon to reproduce itself unless backed by blood. A degenerate whelp or an ill formed one may indeed occasionally appear in the progeny of pure blooded parents, but even with such there is a probability that his off-spring will be better than himself, upon the principle that “blood will tell ;” while with a well formed but ill bred dog, the field quality will be doubtful, and the progeny as likely to throw back and display the characteristics of the coarse breeding as to take after their well-formed parent. In choosing a dog the first thing to be considered then is blood, no matter whether it is expected he will ever be bred from or not. I suppose all who sell dogs have, more or less frequently, received letters from par- ties who wish to purchase; but say they “do not care for a finely bred dog, as they only want him for work and 28 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. ——_——« not to breed.” Whatever may be the expectation, I claim that a buyer cannot afford to buy any but a well bred animal, with regard to his own interest, because he gets in such, a greater certainty of working qualities, and as the records show the majority of trial winners have been purely bred, he will naturally get detter qualities than from a dog of coarse breeding. Many men who write as above are influenced by the price of fine blooded dogs, but it is certainly poor economy to buy a low priced one, that will probably prove a disap- pointment in the end, than to pay a fair price at first. Good dogs can now be bought at reasonable rates, though of course somewhat higher than those which have nothing to recommend them command, but if two or three cheap dogs have to be bought before one. of work- ing qualities is got, theaggregate price is higher than that of a good one, and besides this loss in money, there is also the loss of time spent in rearing or testing failures. Further than this, even if by a lucky chance the first cheap purchase proves to be of average goodness, the owner will some day fall in with a friend who ownsa well bred dog of that average goodness, and then if the princi- ple proved by trial records is sustained, the cheap dog will be badly beaten. No man with proper pride likes to be beaten by his fellows; I do not mean by this that he should be grasping or selfish, or even that he should not take a beating in good part, but merely that proper spirit will prompt him to hold his own by every possible manly effort, and the shock of defeat with the consciousness that by a little more outlay he could probably have madea far better showing, is neither SELECTING A DOG. 39 | | trifling nor short-lived. When purchasing a dog, whether young or matured, the buyer should if possible, give ita personalinspection. | If he is properly acquainted with the points of the breed, he can satisfy himself and thus avoid possible disappointment if the choice is left to another, but where such inspection is impossible, care must be taken to deal only with reliable parties; men who have char- acter at stake, and who cannot afford to sacrifice it by misrepresentation or fraud. If the parties are unknown to each other, the buyer will be justified in asking refer- ences, and no seller with proper appreciation of what is due to others will be offended by such request. If the dog or whelp is reported to be by some well known stock dog, the buyer should by all means ascertain the truth of this, for there are many sales made every year upon the strength of entirely false pedigrees. A line to the owner of the sire will establish or disprove the pedigree very thoroughly. Where inspection is had, the dog should be criticised and compared with the accepted standard of his breed. For this to be possible, the buyer must be well posted upon the form, color and peculiarities of the strain. Color is so far as it goes, a good guide, but form is far better, as it is easy to see that a dog may be of good color, yet a poor specimen of his class, through failing to display correct form. Different breeds have their estab- ished colors; by this, I do not mean the arbitrary show colors, but the colors of race. Show standards disqualify dogs not of fashionable marking, and there are cases where dogs have won in classes their own brothers could 40 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. not compete in, thus proving that color and not blood was regarded. Between two dogs of equal merit and both of legiti- mate though different colors, choice may be fairly made of that which ranks highest in the show scale; as, for ex- ample, pure Gordons display solid red and solid black as well as black and tan, so that the latter may be selected as giving a greater value to the dog through his elegi- bility to competition, where the others would be dis- qualified; but color should never influence choice over form, and especially in the Gordons, as the reds and blacks will, from the prepotency of blood, produce black and tan progeny. As field dogs, the reds and blacks are fully equal to the others, so that color is of no ac- count in that connection. Color forms a standard so far as it does or does not belong to the breed under consideration ; thatws: 110 matter what the pedigree may show, the exhibition of a color which does not belong to the strain, furnishes the strongest evidence of an out-cross. Upon page 31, of “The Setter wWeaverack says: “here as ne sberter test of a pure breed of setters than a perfect uniformity of race; that is in color, form and coat, and never throw- ing back to some other color and form unknown to the breeder.” Variations in coldr are accounted for by those who desire to sell off-colored dogs in various ways, the chief being a throw back to some remote ancestor. This excuse may hold good in the case of dogs of mixed strains, like our so-called natives, but it is not valid when applied to those which claim pure breeding, as the colors of such have been so long fixed that throwing back is (Copcey) ‘HaHDHY—- day D0 THI ~ SELECTING A DOG. AI practically impossible. Mr. Laverack, himself, resorted to this excuse to explain the appearance of liver and white in Pride of the Border, and of red in the Mystery litter, claiming that Pride ‘stained back thirty-five or forty years, to the Edmond Castle blood,” and that the reds threw back ninety years'to one of the original dogs of the Rev. Mr. Harrison, from whom he obtained his breed; but the evidence of his own words as above, and of his repeated attempts at crossing, together with the extreme improbability of straining back over such an interval, compelled the Committee of the English “Kennel Club,” to pronounce the statements unreliable. No matter then what excuse may be offered for an out- color, it should not be accepted; there are plenty of _ dogs to be had, both well formed and legitimately mark- | ed, and there is therefore no reason why this serious im- perfection should be passed over any more than others. Color in English Setters is much more varied than | in any other breed, allstyles of marking being exhibited except the rich dar red of the Irish. A light red or yellow sometimes appears, and is deservedly ranked lastin) order vol mentum hes term: Belton is) now in common use, and by many persons is supposed to be typical of or confined to the Laveracks and their off- shoots. This is not the case,as many dogs exhibit it which have no connection with the Laverack blood. The term simply means a dog that is ticked or dotted with black or lemon. This ticking may either be in connection with patchs of color or it may constitute the entire coloring. It appears upon the face and legs even when absent from the body. Black and white | ei a —s 42 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. dogs with tan markings are not Beltons though often so called. The black ticking constitutes the blue Belton, and the lemon, the lemon Belton. Instead of describing the different breeds of sporting dogs myself, I shall give the scale of points and form of each, taken from the third edition of Stonehenge’s “Dogs of the British Isles,” as this is accepted as the standard by which foreign shows are judged, and pre- sumably our own also, though from the latitude allowed judges in this country, by show commitees, the standard has been frequently ignored, resulting in the repeated placing of certain dogs, which if they were judged by the standard, would be considered anything but typical. Stonehenge says: “The English Setter may be taken as the true type of the breed, next to which comes the Irish Setter, while the old Llanidloes or Welsh breed retain more ©f the Spaniel character. | hein curly, water-proof coats are however admirably suited to the wet climate of their native hills. It is said, and I think probably with much truth, that the Scotch, or Gordon Setter is crossed with the bloodhound, which gives the comparatively heavy head and long folding ears often shown by him, and at the same time accounts for the delicacy of his nose and the coarseness of his coat. At all events, his appearance is not so typical as that of the English and Irish breeds. The Gordons are now usually described as black and tans, to avoid the disputes as to the breeding of the several entries, for while there is no doubt that many black and tans are not true Gor- dons, it is also indisputable that many true Gordons are black, white-and tan. Similar remarks may apply SEEECHING A DOG. 43 to the Irish Setter, but he has not been treated in the same way, though no doubt a red setter of English breed, without any Irish blood, if exhibiting the desired points in perfection, would win in an Irish class; I must however take things as I find them, and describe the setter according to the definition given in our prize list, omitting the Welsh Setter, which is not of sufficient im- portance to interest any but the few possessors of him who remain.” Stonehenge gives one table of points for all setters, and says: ‘The numerical value of the points in each breed is the same, though the description in several of them will vary, I therefore begin by allotting the follow- ing points to each, referring my readers to the three articles for their varying definitions.” VAGUE OR VPOINTS IN SEMGER: VALUE. Sui, os ° - 10 Nose, - - 10 Hats, Lips and Eiyest 394: Neck, - - 6 30 VALUE Legs, Elbows - - and Hocks, - 12 ect - - - 8 20 Grand Total, VALUE. Shoulders and - = @hestyan- = 15 Back, Quarters - ~ and Stifles, 2 15 30 VALUE. Flag, - = e 5 Symmetry and Quality, 5 Texture of Coat and Feather, 5 Colona y= - 5 20 = Ioo. AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. —$—<—e “The points of the English Setter may be described as follows: “7—The skull, (value 10,) has a character peculiar to itself, somewhat between that of the Pointer and Cocker Spaniel, not so heavy as the former and larger than the latter; it is without the prominence of the occipital bone, so remarkable in the pointer, is also narrower between the ears, and there is a decided brow over the eyes. “>The nose, (value 5,) should be long and wide without any fullness under the eyes. There should be in the average dog setter at least four inches from the inner corner of the eye to the end of the nose. Between the point and the rest of the nose there should be a slight depression—at all events there should be no fullness— and the eye-brows should rise sharply from it. The nostrils must be wide apart and large in the openings, and the end should be moist and cool, though many a dog with exceptional good scent- ing powers has had a remarkably dry nose, amounting in some cases to roughness like that of shagreen. In all setters the end of the nose should be black, or dark liver colored, but in the very best whites or lemon and whites, pink is often met with, and may in them be pardoned. The jaws should be exactly equal in length, a snipe nose or ‘pig jaw as the receding lower one in called, being greatly against its possessor.” “3 Kars, lips and eyes, (value 4,) with regard to the ears, they should be shorter than the pointer’s and rounder, but not so much so as those of the Spaniel. The leather should be thin and soft, carried closely to the cheeks, so as not to show the inside, without the least tendency to prick the ear, which should be clothed with silky hair, little more than two inches in length. ‘The lips also are not so full and pendulous as those of the Pointer, but at their angles there should bea slight fullness, not reaching quite to the extent of hang- ing. The eyes must be full of animation, and of medium size, the best color being a rich brown, and they should be set with their an- gles straight across.” ““4—The neck (value 6,) has not the full round muscularity of the Pointer, being considerably thinner, but still slightly arched, and set into the head without that prominence of the occipital bone, SELECTING A DOG. 45 which is so remarkable in that dog. the skin is loose?’ “s—_The shoulders and chest (value 15,) should display great liberty in all directions, with sloping deep shoulder blades and elbows well let down. ‘The chest should be deep rather than wide, though Mr. Laverack, insists on the contrary formation, italicising the word wide, in his remarks on page 22, of his book. Possibly it may be owing to this formation that his dogs have not succeeded in any field trials, as above remarked; for the bitches of his breed, notably Countess and Daisy, which I have seen, were as narrow as any set- ter breeder could desire; I am quite satisfied that on this point Mr. Laverack is altogether wrong. I fully agree with him, however, that the ribs should be well sprung behind the shoulder, and great depth of the back ribs should be specially demanded.” “6—Back quarters and stifles, (value 15,) An arched loin is desirable, but not to the extent of being ‘roached’ or ‘wheel backed;’ a defect which generally tends to a slow up and down gallop. Stifles well bent and set wide apart to allow the hind legs to be brought forward with liberty in the gallop.” “7 __TLegs elbows and hocks, (value 12,) the elbows and toes, which generally go together, should be set straight ; and if not, the ‘pigeon toe’ or inturned leg is less objectionable than the out-turned, in which the elbow is confined by its close attachment to the ribs. The arm should be muscular and the bone fully developed, with strong and broad knees, short pasterns, of which the size in point of bone should be as great as possible, (a very important point) and their slope not exceeding a very slight deviation from the straight line. Many good judges insist upon a perfectly upright pastern, like that of the fox hound; but it must not be forgotten that the setter has to stop himself suddenly, when at full stretch he catches scent, and to do this withan upright rigid pastern, causes a consider- able strain on the ligaments, soon ending in ‘knuckling over’ hence a very slight bend is to be preferred. The hind legs should be muscular, with plenty of bone, clean strong hocks and hairy feet.” “8—The feet, (value 8,) should be carefully examined, as up- on their capability of standing wear and tear depends the utility of the dog. A great difference of opinion exists as to the comparative It must not be ‘throaty’ though —__—__———— 46 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. merits of the cat and hare foot for standing work. Fox hound masters, invariably select that of the cat, and as they have better opportunities than any other class for instituting the necessary com- parison, their selection may be accepted as final. But as setters are specially required to stand wet and heather, it is imperatively neces- sary that there should be a good growth of hair between the toes, and on this account a hare foot, well clothed with hair, as it generally is, must be preferred to a cat foot, naked as is often the case, except on the upper surface.” ““o—The flag, (value 5,) is in appearance very characteristic of the breed, although it sometimes happens that one or two puppies in a well bred litter exhibit a curl or other malformation, usually con- sidered to be indicative of astain., It is often compared to a scimetar, but it resembles it only in respect of its narrowness, the amount of curl in the blade of this Turkish weapon being far too great to make it the model of the setter’s flag. Again it has been compared to a comb; but as combs are usually straight, here again this simile fails, as the setter’s flag should have a gentle sweep; and the nearest re- semblence to any familiar form is to the scythe, with its curve reversed. The feather must be composed of straight silky hairs, and beyond the root the less short hair on the flag the better, especially towards the point, of which the tone should be fine and the feather tapering with it.” “1o—Symmetry and guality, (value 5,) In character the setter should display a great amount of guality, a term which is difficult of explanation, though fully appreciated by all experienced sportsmen. It means a combination of symmetry, as understood by the artist, with the peculiar attributes of the breed under consideration as inter- peted by the sportsman. ‘Thus a setter possessed of such a frame and outline as to charm an artist, would be considered by the sportsman, defective in ‘quality’ if he possessed a curly or harsh coat, or if he had a heavy head with pendant blood-hound like | jaws and throaty neck. The general outline is very elegant, and more taking to the eye of the artist than that of the pointer.” “t1—The éexture and feather of coat, (value 5,) are much re- garded among setter breeders, a soft silky hair without curl being considered a sine gua non. ‘The feather should be considerable and | SELECTING A DOG. A7 should fringe the hind as well as fore legs.” “t2—The color of coat, (value 5,) is not much insisted on among English Setters, a great variety being admitted. They are now generally classed as follows, in the order given: 1—Black and white ticked with large splashes and more or less marked with black, known as blue Belton; 2—Orange and white freckled, known as orange Belton; 3—Plain orange, or lemon and white; 4—Liver and white; 5—Black and white, with slight tan markings; 6—Black and white; 7—Liver and white; 8—Pure white; 9—Black; to—Liver; 11—Red or yellow.” In quoting the colors as above, I wish to call atten- tion to an evident error, viz: the repetition of liver and white, at numbers 4 and 7. Liver and white is, I know, classed after the black and white, hence I think 4 should be lemon and white, as distinguished from 3, that being orange or dark lemon, while the true lemon and white is of a paler shade. “In Points the Irish setter only differs from the English in the following :” “7—The skull is somewhat longer and narrower, the eyebrows being well raised, and the occipital prominence as marked as in the Pointer.” “o-__The mose, is a trifle longer with good width, and square at the end; nostrils wide and open, with the nose itself of a deep mahogany or very dark fleshy color, not pink nor black.” “2 __ The eyes, ears and fips:—The eyes should be a rich brown or mahogany color, well set and full of intelligence ; a pale or goose- berry eye is to be avoided. ars long enough to reach within half an inch or an inch of the end of the nose, and though more tapering than the English dog, never coming to a point; they should be set low and close, but well back, and not approaching to the hound in setting and leather, whiskers red; lips deep but not pendulous.” “> and 6—In frame the Irish dog is higher on the leg than either the English or black and tan, but his elbows are well let down eae 48 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. nevertheless; his shoulders are long and sloping; frisket deep, but never wide; and his back ribs are somewhat shorter than those of his English brethern. Loin good, slightly arched and well coupled to his hips, but not very wide; quarters slightly sloping and flag set on rather low, but straight, fine in bone and beautifully carried. Breeders are, however, going for straight backs like that of Palmers- ton, with flags set on as high as in the English Setter.” ““7__ Legs very straight, with good hocks, well bent stifles, and muscular but not heavy haunches.” “8__The feet are hare like, and moderately hairy between the toes.” “9—The flag is clothed with a long straight comb of hair, never bushy or curly, and this is beautifully displayed on the point.” “‘ry1-The coat should be somewhat coarser than that of the English Setter, being midway between that and the black and tan, wavy but not curly, and by no means long. Both hind and fore legs are well feathered, but not profusely, and the ears are furnished with feather to the same extent, with a slight wave but no curl.” ‘“‘t2-The color should be a rich blood red, without any trace of black on the ears or along the back; in many of the best strains however, a pale color or an occasional tinge of black is shown. A little white on the neck, breast or toes is by no means objectionable, and there is no doubt that the preponderance of white, so as to con- stitute what is called white and red, is met with in some good strains.” “The foznts of the black and tan setter are very nearly the same as those of the English dog, the only deviations being as follows :” “1—_The skud/ is usually a little heavier than that of the English setter, but in other respects it resembles it.” ““2—The ose also is like the English setter; but it is usually a trifle wider. “o—The flag is usually a trifle shorter than that of the English setter, which it otherwise resembles in shape. “11—The coat is generally harder and coarser than that of the CAITIUN (19¢h) ‘a1ayq) ‘OUYM PUL ALT “AAT AIZZIT ‘ATLLAS NITVIAMATI | ri Lspioaiisy 4, epee / YN AAW, \ | , ry ey: u A fl S J \ Z | N NUM \ i MwA \ ANN SAAT be! RS = calcd yy ke Hy AN , li ARM! Bel Ni te et aT arity i (en Dy gay ee aye olin, SH is fA aUay Ch oae ate he Nt Ki ty au aa i i if os en ¢ tee aes ty Ny a AT ith uy .) ee ‘ Oe aes tsy } Resi i vite Cit Woe neg ity Tenia via y A ; ee : Tir 0 Thee vg Peesth vit hie : a fs ‘ Gal | vat a % Ate i, entrant 1) ' » eka Be ili ie vena i A ray tha an bat velit Pave et a re “ok Me ca AVUANE RD a , ave o at tort Whee: Mma an SELECTING A DOG. 49 English or Irish setter, occasionally with a strong disposition to curl as in the celebrated champions Reuben and Regent.” ““t2—-The color is much insisted on. The black should be rich without mixture with the tan, and the latter should be a deep mahogany red, without any tendency to fawn. It is admitted that the original Gordons were often black, tan and white ; but as in all our shows the classes are limited to black-tan, the long arguments which have been adduced on that score are now obsolete. A little white on the chest or a white toe or two are not objected to; but a decided frill is considered, by most judges, to be a blemish. The red-tan should be shown on lips, cheeks, throat, spot over the eyes, fore legs nearly up to the elbows, hind legs up to the stifles, and on the under side of the flag, but not running into its long hair.” Such are the descriptions given of the three great divisions of the setter family, by Stonehenge, the nu- merical value of Points being the same in each. The differences apart from color are not very great, but they are highly important as they constitute the characteristic marks of each breed, and should therefore never be overlooked or confused. The numerical value of fozzts of the Pointer is the same as those of Setters, except that symmetry and quality are rated at 7, and texture of coat at 3, both fatmg@ at 5, in Setters: “Describing them in detail they are as follows :” “1_The skud/, (value 10.) should be of good size, but not as heavy as the old Spanish Pointer, and in a lesser degree his half- bred descendants. It should be wider across the ears than that of the setter, with a forehead rising well at the brows. A full develop- ment of the occipital protuberance is indispensable, and the upper surface should be in two slightly rounded flats with a narrow furrow between.” ““2_The ose, (value 10) should be long (4 inches to 4# inches) 50 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. and broad with widely open nostrils. ‘The end must be moist, and in health is cold to the touch. It should be black or very dark brown, in all but the lemon and whites; but in them it may be a deep flesh color. It should be cut off square and not pointed—known as the ‘snipe nose’ or ‘pig jaw’-—Teeth meeting evenly.” “3-_The ears, eyes and ips, (value 4,) are as follows: ears soft in coat, moderately long and thin in leather, not folding like the hounds, but lying flat and close to the cheeks, and set on low with- out any tendency to prick. Eyes soft and of medium size; color brown, varying in shade with that of the coat. Lips well developed, and frothing when at work, but not pendant or flew-like.” ““4—The neck, (value 6,) should be arched towards the head, long and round, without any approach to dewlap or throatiness. It must come out with a graceful sweep from between the shoulder-blades.” “s The shoulders and chest (value 15,) are dependent upon each other for their formation. ‘Thus a wide and hooped chest can- not have the blades lying flat against its sides; and consequently instead of this and their sloping backwards, as they ought to do in order to give free action, they are upright, short and fixed. Of course a certain width is required to give room for the lungs; but the volume required should be obtained by depth rather than width. Behind the blades the ribs should, however, be well arched, but still deep; this depth of back rib is specially important. “6—The back, quarters and stifles (value 15,) constitute the main propellers of the machine, and on their proper development, the speed and power of the dog depend. ‘The loin should be very slightly arched and full of muscle, which should run well over the back ribs; the hips should be wide, with a tendency to ragged- ness, and the quarters should droop very slightly from them. ‘These last must be full of firm muscle, and the stifles should be well bent and carried widely apart, so as to allow the hind legs to be brought well forward in the gallop, instituting a form of action which does not tire.” ' ““7__Legs, elbows and hocks, (value 12.) These chiefly bony parts, though truely the levers by which the muscles act, must be strong enough to bear the strain given them; and this must act in the straight line of progression. Substance of bone is therefore de- SELECTING A DOG. 51 manded, not only in the shanks, but in the joints, the knees and hocks being specially required to be bony. The elbows should be well let down, giving a long upper arm, and should not be turned in or out ; the latter being, however, the lesser fault of the two, as the confined elbows limits the action considerably. The reverse is the case with the hocks, which may be turned in rather than out, the former being generally accompanied by that wideness of stifles, which I have already insisted on. Both hind and fore pasterns should be short, nearly upright and full of bone.” “8—The feet, (value 8,) are all important; for however fast and strong the action may be, if the feet are not well shaped and their horny covering hard, the dog will soon become foot sore when at work, and will then refuse to leave his master’s heels, however high his courage may be. Breeders have long disputed the comparatively good qualities of the round cat-like foot, and the long one, resem- bling that of the hare. In the Pointer, my own opinion is in favor of the cat foot, with the toes well arched and close together. This is the desideratum of the M. F. H., and I think stands work better than the hare foot, in‘which the toes are not arched, but still lie close together. In the Setter the greater amount of hair, to a certain ex- tent, condones the inherent weakness of the hare foot; but in the Pointer no such superiority can be claimed. The main point, how- ever is the closeness of the pads, combined with the thickness of its horny covering.” ““g—The.stevm, (value 5,) must be strong in bone, at the root, but it should at once be reduced in size as it leaves the body, and then gradually taper to a point, like a bee’s sting. It should be very slightly curved, carried a little above the line of the back, and with- out the slightest approach to curl at the tip.” “to—Of symmetry and quality, (value 7,) the Pointer should display a good proportion, no dog showing more difference between the gentleman and his opposite. It is impossible to analyse these es- sentials, but every good judge carries the knowledge with him.” “t1—The Zexture, (value 5,) of the coat in the Pointer should be soft and mellow, but not absolutely silky.” “12—In color, (value 5,) there is now little choice in point of fashion, between the liver and lemon and whites. After them a 52 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. come the black and whites, (with or without tan,) then the pure black, and lastly the pure liver. Dark liver ticked, is perhaps the most beautiful color of all to the eye.” ‘“POINTS OF THE FIELD SPANIEL.” VALUE. VALUE. VALUE, Head, - =e ES Length, - - 5 Color, - a6 ah Ears, - 5 Legs, - 10 Coat, - IO Neck, - SEs ine, G - 10 Tarlee are - 10 Chest, Back and Symmetry, 5 Loins; ¢ '- - 20 45 25 30 Grand Total, - - I00. “ 7—The head, (value 15,) should be long with a marked brow, but still only gradually rising from the nose, and occipital protuber- ance well defined. Nose long and broad, without any tendency to the snipe form. Eye expressive, soft and gentle, but not too full or watery.” ““2__The ears, (value 5,) should be set on low down, lobular in shape, not over long in the leather, or too heavily clothed with feather, which should always be wavy and free from ringlets.” “©3__The ueck, (value 5,) should be long enough to reach the ground easily, strong and arched, coming easily out of well shaped shoulders.” ““4—Chest, back and loins, (value 20.) The chest should be deep and with a good girth; back and loins full of muscle, and running well into one another, with wide couplings and well turned hind-quarters.” “s5_The length, (value 5,) of the Spaniel should be rather more than twice his height at the shoulders.” ““6—The Zegs, (value 10,) must be full of bone and straight; elbows neither in nor out; quarters full of muscle, and stifles strong but not very much bent.” ““7__The feet, (value 10,) are round and cat like, well clothed with hair between the toes, and the pads furnished with very thick i apse nvaouNe an Waite ae a ee “‘dLVY S,ONOUSLNYV—(‘6S¢F) “AONTYG FATT ‘amy, pue yortq—(‘/r1L) ‘IIT HSV ‘WALLAS NITIAMATI —— 9—DW4- SS = ——— SS == = = \\\\ \ W Wh S SS W SELECTING A DOG. horn.” “8__The color, (value 5,) preferred is a brilliant black, but in the best strains of the dog an occasional liver or red puppy will appear.” | “‘o__The coat, (value 1o,) is flat, slightly wavy, soft and silky ; the legs are well fringed or feathered like the Setter, as also are the ears; there must ‘be no topknot or curl between the eyes, indi- cating a cross of the water Spaniel.” “‘to—The /ai/, (value 10,) which is always cropped short, must have a downward carriage, and should not be set on too high.” “11—The symmetry, (value 5,) of the Spaniel is considerable, and any departure from it should be penalised accordingly.” “POINTS OF THE CLUMBER SPANIEL.” VALUE. VALUE. VALUE. Head, - - 20 Length, - 2 15 Color, - > 8 ~ Shoulders and ' Ears, - - 10 Chest, - - 10 Coat, - i185 Back, - = LO Neck, = - 5 Jkegs and Feet, 15 Stern, - =. jen8 35 50 15 Grand Total, ° - 100. “The head, (value 20.) The skull of this dog is large in all dimensions, being flat at the top, with a slight furrow down the middle, and a very large occipital protuberance. Sometimes this part is heavy in excess, but this is far better than the opposite ex- treme. The nose is very long and broad, with open nostils. The end should be of a dark flesh color, but even in the best strains it is sometimes of a cherry or light liver color. The eye is large and soft, but not watering.” “>The ears (value 10,) are peculiar in shape, as compared with other Spaniels, being setter-like or vine-shaped, and indicating that this kind of Spaniel is the original “Setting Spaniel” of olden times, now converted into the Setter. They are slightly longer than Ai acer UN «2 ores Ramee 2 85: z 54 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. those of most setters and feathered, but not heavily, especially on the front edge.” “3—The zeck, (value 5,) is long and strong, but lean, and free from dewlap in front, where, however, there is a slight ruff of hair.” “4—In length, (value 15,) this Spaniel should be two and a half times his height.” “5Good shoulders, (value 10,) are very important inso heavy a dog, whotires in any covert rather too soon, and with heavy should- ers drops into a walk after a single hour’s work. ‘The chest must also have a large girth.” 6—A strong dack and Join, (value 10,) are equally necessary, and for the same cause, the latter ought to be free from arch, as the back should be from droop, and the back ribs should be very deep.” ““7—The Zegs and feet, (value 15,) of the Clumber must be care- fully attended to, being of great importance to him in standing his work. He is very apt to be out at his elbows, from his width of chest, and occasionally his legs are bowed from rickets, to which disorder he is specially prone. These defects, when present, should be heavily penalised as they are faults of great importance.” ““8—The color, (value 5,) is always white with more or less lemon: and when the latter is freckled over the face and legs the color is perfect. The face should always be white with a lemon head, and at the best a line of white down its middle.” ““9—The coat, (value 5,) must be soft and silky, slightly wavy, aad though abundant, by no means long except in feather.” “The stern, (value 5,) must be set low and carried considerably downward, especially when at work.” ‘CPOINES OR THE SUSSEX SPANIEL.” VALUE. VALUE. VALUE. Skull, - = 15 Neck, - - Sie lanl = - Eyes, - 5 Shouldersand Chest,10 Color, - Nose, = - 10 Backandback ribs, 10 Coat, - - Ears, ° 5 | Legs'and Feet, 10 Symmetry, - 35 35 Grand Total, - - I0o. SELECTING A DOG. 55 ““1—The skull, (value 15,) should be long and also wide, with a deep indentation in the middle, and a full stop projecting well over the eyes ; occiput full, but not pointed ; the whole given the appear- ance of heaviness without dullness.” ““2—The eyes, (value 5,) are full, soft and languishing, but not watering so as to stain the coat.” “3—The nose, (value 10,) should be long (3 to 34 inches,) and broad, the end liver colored with large open nostrils.” ““4—The ears, (value 5,) are moderately long and lobe shaped— that is to say, narrow at the junction with the head, wider in the middle and rounded below, not pointed. They should be well clothed-with soft wavy and silky hair, but not heavily loaded with it.” ““5—The neck, (value 5,) is rather short, strong and slightly arched, but not carrying the head much above the level of the back, ‘There is no throatiness in the skin, but a well marked frill in the coat.” “6—Shoulders and chest, (value 10.) The chest is round, especi- ally behind the shoulders, and moderately deep, giving a good girth. It narrows at the shoulders, which are consequently oblique, though strong with full points, long arms and elbows well let down, and these last should not be turned out or in.” “7 __ Back and back-ribs. The back or loin is long and should be very muscular, both in width and depth. For this latter develop- ment the back ribs must be very deep. ‘The whole body is charac- terised low, long and strong.” ““8—_Lees and feet, (value 10.) Owing to the width of chest, the fore legs of the Sussex Spaniel are often bowed; but it is a defect notwithstanding, though not a serious one. The arms and thighs must be bony as well as muscular ; knees and hocks large, wide and strong. Pastens very short and bony; feet round and toes well arched and clothed thickly with hair. The fore-legs should be well feathered all down, and the hind ones also, above the hocks, but should not have much hair below that point.” “‘g—The ¢az/, (value 10,) is generally cropped and should be thickly clothed with hair, but not with long feather. The true Spaniel’s low carriage of tail, at work, is well marked in this breed.” “ to—The color, (value 10,) of the Sussex is a well marked but Sa ee | 56 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. not exactly rich golden liver, on which there is often a washed-out look that detracts from its richness. This color is often met with in other breeds, however, and is no certain sign of purity in the Sussex Spaniel.” “t1—The coat, (value 5,) is wavy without any curl, abundant, silky and soft.” “12—The symmetry, (value 5,) of the Sussex Spaniel is not very marked ; but he should not be devoid of this quality.” ‘“POINTS OF THE IRISH WATER SPANIEL.” VALUE. VALUE. VALUE, Head, - =) Om Ghestrand Tail, - - Io Face and Eyes, 10 Shoulders, - 74 Coat, - 10 Topknot, - IO Back and Quarters, 74 — Color, - 10 Ears, - = LO Legs and Feet, 10 Symmetry, 5 40 25 35 Grand Total, - - 100. “1—The ead, (value to,) is by no means long, with very little brow, but moderately wide. It is covered with curls, rather longer and more open than those of the body, nearly to the eyes, but not so as to be wigged like the poodle.” ““2—The face and eyes, (value 10,) are very peculiar; Face very | long and quite bare of curl, the hair being short and smooth, though not glossy ; nose broad and nostrils well developed; teeth strong and level; eyes small and set almost flush, without eyebrows.” “3—The ¢opknot, (value to,) is a characteristic of the true breed, and is estimated accordingly. It should fall between and over the eyes in a peaked form.” “4—The ears, (value 10,) are long, the leather extending when drawn forward, to a little beyond the nose, and the curls with which they are clothed two or three inches beyond. The whole of the ears is thickly covered with curls, which gradually lengthen towards the tips.” “5—Chest and shculders, (value 73.) There is nothing re- markable about these points, w..:ch must nevertheless be of sufficient dimensions and muscularity. The chest is small compared with NN Fated . : EIN \ € TaN we { \\ AN Wa - \\ mS LLEWELLIN SETTER, CHAMPION DRAKE, (7148,) Black and White. PRINCE, (1399.)—Dora. NGL A S er ety SELECTING A DOG. 57 most breeds of similar substance.” “6—The ack and quarters, (value 74,) also have no peculiarity, but the stifles are almost always straight, giving an appearance of legginess.” “7—TLegs and feet, (value 10.) The legs should be straight and the feet large, but strong; the toes are somewhat open, and covered with short crisp curls. In all dogs of this breed the legs are thickly clothed with short curls, slightly pendent behind and at the sides, and some have them all round hanging in ringlets, for some time before the annual shedding. No feather like that of the setter should be shown. The front of the hind legs below the hocks is always bare.” “8—The ¢az/, (value 5,) is very thick at the root, where it is clothed with very short hair. Beyond the root, however, the hair is perfectly short so as to look as if the tail had been clipped, which it sometimes fraudulently is, at our shows; but the natural bareness of the tail is a true characteristic of the breed.” ““g—The coat, (value 10,) is composed of short curls of hair, not woolly, which betrays the poodle cross. A soft flossy coat is ob- jected to as indicative of an admixture with some of the land Spaniels.” “10—The color, (value 10,) must be a deep puce liver, without white ; but as in other breeds, a white toe will occasionally appear even on the best bred litter.” “11—The symmetry, (value 5,) of this dog is not very great, and I have consequently only estimated it at 5.” ‘““POINTS OF THE FOX HOUND. VALUE. VALUE. VALUE. Head, - - 15 Back and Loin, 10 Colorand Coat, 5 Neck, - 5 Hind-quarters, 10 Stern, - 5 Shoulders, - Io Elbows, - apn 5 Symmetry, - 5 Chest and - Legs and Feet, 20 Back-ribs, 10 40 45 15 Grand Total, - - 100. 58 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. = = —=== “7—The fead, (value 15,) should be of full size, but by no means heavy. Brow pronounced, but not high or sharp. There must be good length and breadth, sufficient to give, in the dog-hound, a girth in front of the ears of fully 16 inches. The nose should be long (44 in.) and wide with open nostrils. Ears set low and lying close to the cheeks.” “>o-_The neck, (value 5,) must be long and clean without the slighest throatiness. It should taper nicely from the shoulders to the head, and the upper outline should be slightly convex.” “3__The shoulders, (value 10,) should be long and well clothed with muscle, without being heavy, especially at the points, They must be well sloped, and the true arm between the front and the elbow, must be long and muscular, but free from fat or lumber.” ““4-—Chest and back-ribs, (value 10.) The chest should girth over 30 inches in a 24 inch hound, and the back-ribs must be very deep.” “s__The dack and Join, (value 10,) must both be very muscular, running into each other without any contraction or nipping between them. The couples must be wide, even to raggedness, and there should be the very slightest arch in the loin, so as to be scarcely perceptible.” “6—The hAind-quarters (value 10,) or propellers, are required to be very strong, and as endurance is of even more consequence than speed, straight stifles are preferred to those much bent as in the Greyhound.” “7 __Flbows, (value 5,) set quite straight, and neither turned in nor out are a sive gua non. ‘They must be well let down by means of the long true arm above mentioned.” “8 Tees and feet, (value 20.) Every master of Foxhounds in- sists on legs as straight as a post and as strong; size of bone at the ankle being specially regarded as all important. ‘The desire for straightness is, I think, carried to excess, as the very straight leg soon knuckles over, and this defect may almost always be seen more or less in old stallion hounds. The bone cannot, in my opinion, be too large, but I prefer a slight angle at the knee to a perfectly straight line. With the exception, however, of Mr. Austruther Thompson, I never met with a master of fox-hounds who would hear of such an her- etical opinion without scorn. ‘The feet in all cases should be round SELECTING A DOG. 59 and cat like, with well developed knuckles and strong horn, which last is of the utmost importance.” “9—The color and coat, (value 5,) are not regarded as very im- portant, so long as the former is a ‘hound color,’ and the latter is short, dense, hard and glossy. Hound colors are black-tan and white, black and white, and the various ‘ pies’ compounded of white and the color of the hare and badger, or yellow or tan. In some old strains the blue mottle of the Southern hound is still preserved, © but it is generally voted ‘slow’.” ‘“‘r0-—The stern, (value 5,) is gently arched, carried gaily over the back, and slightly fringed with hair below. The end should taper to a point.” “‘r1—The symmetry, (value 5,) of the fox-hound is considerable, and what is called ‘quality’ is highly regarded by all good judges.” Stonehenge does not give any scale of points for the Beagle, but says: ‘‘ With the exception of the head and ears, the modern Beagle has all the points of the fox- hound. ‘The former is much larger proportionally, both in width and height, while the latter are almost like those of the blood-hound, in size and hanging.” Healso says, in another place, that the points of the Beagle are numeri- cally the same as those of the fox-hound. ‘POINTS OF THE DACHSHUND.” VALUE. VALUE. VALUE. Skull, - - 10 Legs, - oO ais Color, - pee Jaw, - - 10 eet = - 74 Size. Symmetry Ears, eyes, lips, 10 Steninan= - 10 and Quality, ro | Length of body in- Coat, - - 5 cluding neck, 15 | 45 37% 17% \ Grand Total, - - 100. “7__ The skud/ (value 10,) is long and slightly arched, the occiput eaten! : 60 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. being wide, and its protuberance well developed ; eyebrows raised, but without any marked ‘stop’.” “2__The yaw, (value r0,) is long and tapering gradually from the eyes; but nevertheless it should not be ‘pig jawed’; the end though narrow, being cut off nearly square, with the teeth level and very strong.” “3_The ears, eves and Zips, (value 10.) The ears are long enough to reach nearly to the tip of the nose when brought over the jaw without force. They are broad, rounded at the ends and soft in ‘leather,’ and coat hanging back in graceful folds ; but when excited brought forward so as to lie close to the cheeks. Eyes rather small, piercing and deeply set. In the black and tan variety they should be dark brown or almost black ; but in the red or chocolate deep hazel Dr. Fitzinger has often observed the two eyes vary in color, and even insize. The lipsare short, but with some little flew towards the angles; not at all approaching, however, to that of the blood-hound. The skin is quite tight over the cheeks, and indeed over the whole head, showing no blood-hound wrinkle.” “4—Length of body, (value 15,) In taking this into consideration the neck is included ; this part, however, is somewhat short, thick and rather throaty. The chest is long, round and roomy, but not so as to be unwieldy. It gradually narrows towards the back-ribs, which are rather short. The brisket should be only 24 in. to 3 in. from the ground, and the breast-bone should project considerably. The loin is elegantly arched, and the flanks drawn up so as to make the waist look slim, the dog measuring higher behind than before. The quarters are strong in muscle as well as the shoulders, the latter being specially powerful.” “5 Tees, (value 15.) The fore/egs should be very short, strong in bone and well clothed in muscle. The elbows should not turn out or in, the latter being a great defect. ‘The knees should be close together, never more then 24 in. apart, causing a considerable bend from the elbows inwards, so as to make the leg crooked, and then again turning out-wards to the foot, but this bend at the knee should not be carried to the extent of deformity. In order that the brisket should approach the ground, as above described, the forelegs must be very short. On the hind legs there is often a dew-claw, but this SELECHING A> DOG 6I is not essential either way.” ““6—_The feet, (value 74,) should be of full size, but very strong and cat-like, with hard, horny soles to the pads. The fore-feet are generally turned out, thus increasing the appearance of crookedness in the legs. This formation gives assistance to the out-throw of the earth in digging.” ‘‘7__The stern, (value 10,) is somewhat short and thick at the root, tapering gradually to the point, with a slight curve upwards, and clothed with hair of moderate length, on its under surface. When excited, as in hunting, it is carried in a hound-like attitude over the back. Its shape and carriage indicates high breeding, and are valued accordingly.” “The coat, (value 5,) is short and smooth but coarse in tex- ture, and by no means silky except on the ears, where it should be very soft and shiny.” “o—The color (value 74,) The best colors are red and black and tan, which last should be rich and deep, and this variety should always have a black nose. The red strain may have a flesh colored nose, and some good judges in England maintain that this is indis- pensable, but in Germany it is not considered of any importance. In the black and tans, the tan should extend to the lips, cheeks, a spot over each eye, the belly and flank, under side of tail, and a spot on each side of breast bone ; also to the lower part of both fore and hind legs and feet. Thumb marks and pencilling of the toes are not approved of in this country ; but they are often met with in Germany. Whole chocolate dogs are often well bred, but they are not liked in England, even with tan markings, which are however an improve- ment, Whole blacks and whites are unknown out of Germany, where they are rare. In England white on toes or breast is objected to but not in Germany.” “to— Size, symmetry and guality (value 10,) In size the dachs- hund should be, in an average specimen, from 39 in. to 42 in. long, from tip to tip, and in height 10 in. to r1 in. at the shoulder; the weight should be from 11 Ib. to 18 Ib, the bitches being considerably smaller than the dogs. In symmetry the dachshund is above the average.” The above descriptions given by the highest author- | 62 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. ee — ity, furnish a reliable and sufficient guide in selecting from any of the different breeds of sporting dogs used in this country, with the exception of the Chesapeake duck dog. As I have already said these dogs are prac- tically extinct a few of them however remain in the hands of gentlemen located upon the Bay, and from one of these, Mr. O. D. Foulkes, an old time contributor to “The American Sportsman,” I take the following, which appeared some years since in the colunms of that paper. “The only real ducking dog, bred and raised for the purpose, which can stand the cold and fatigue for any length of time, is the ‘Brown Winchester,’ or ‘Red Chester,’ a cross between the English water poodle and the Newfoundland. They are a low, heavy set, densely coated dog, of a dark reddish brown color on the back, shading lighter on the sides, and running into a very light yellow or white on the belly and inside of the legs; the throat and breast are are also frequently marked with white. They are of other colors, but any change from the brown shows a want of careful breeding. This breed, I am sorry to say, is fast going out of existence. At one time they were very common here, almost every person living on a ducking shore owning one or two, but the war coming on scattered the old families, and the new comers, either not knowing the value of the breed, or else not taking any interest in anything outside of the farm, have allowed it to run almost entirely out. The last of the breed (to my knowledge) was a spayed bitch, owned by myself ; she died three years ago, and from that time up to last fall I had been anxiously searching fora pup. I have a pair of good staunch ones now, in front of which a wounded duck stands no chance. This breed of dogs are very swift and powerful swimmers, they will chase a crippled duck one and two miles, and unless the bird be very slightly hit, will catch him in the end. The dog sits on the shore behind the blind, his color matching so well with the sand and clay | that were he even continually moving the ducks would never notiee | him (this is the reason the brown color is so carefully bred for). | SELECTING A DOG. 63 He seldom moves any part of his body except the head, which he continually turns up and down the river, often sighting the approach- ing duck before the gunners. When the gun is fired and a duck falls, he bounds to the edge of the water, plunges in and brings it ashore, and then without having received a word of command from his master, carries it up to the place where he sits and drops it. After giving himself two or three shakes and a roll, he resumes his old station and watch. He does not shiver like a setter, or raise and drop his fore-feet like a wet spaniel; the shaking he has given his coarse, oily coat, has freed it entirely from ice and water ; he cannot be enticed into a kennel, but must sit out on the frozen shore, rain or shine, and watch as well asthe gunner. If one of the fallen birds chance to be only crippled, he swims past the dead ones, keeping the wounded duck in sight ; when it dives he swims to the spot and there continues turning round and round, now and then throwing himself high in the water, especially if the waves are heavy. Assoon as the duck reappears, he strikes out immediately for it, and as it dives again he swims to the spot where he last saw it, and continues to turn until the duck comes up, then another swim, and so on until the duck is tired out or escapes him. If the duck falls too far out for the dog to see, he takes his direction from the motion of the hand, “The spaniel and setter are often used when the ‘Winchester’ cannot be had. They make a good substitute while they last, which is not very long. They cannot stand the ice-cold water and frozen shores, day in and day out the season through; spaniels are too small to stand the heavy waves, and setters are not heavy enough coated, rheumatism attacks them in ayear or two, followed by a gathering in the head which destroys their hearing and finally ends their lives. Other water dogs may be used, but the difficulty is in breaking them to understand the difference between a duck anda block of wood. I have seen many dogs called ducking dogs which at the report of a gun would bound into the water and bring out a decoy, if a duck had not fallen, or they could not find it immediately.” When buying a broken dog he should always be tested in the field and under the gun, unless he comes from a breaker of established reputation, which may be 64 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. taken as a guaranty of the quality of his pupil’s educa- tion; even then it is better for a buyer to see the dog in the field, as most sportsmen have fancies of their own, and what suits one will not suit another. When the dog has not been handled by a breaker of repute he should invariably be tried before purchase, as there are large numbers of dogs which are well yard broken, and under control when free from the excitement of hunting, but in the field are valueless for want of proper handling. A well broken and thorough field dog should range well in the open, and close in cover, when ordered; should carry his head high; show good nose; be under good control, obeying the whistle and hand as promptly as verbal commands ; be staunch to point, back and charge, and a tender-mouthed retriever from land and water. He should also not be afraid of briars, and go readily wherever sent. All except nose, pointing and retrieving can be determined at any season of the year, and in any field, and where these cannot be tested, they must be made the subject of a warranty. I have said the dog must be tried under the gun, because in the course of my experience I have seen gun-shy dogs that taken into a field or cover without a gun would work splendidly and deceive the purchaser into the idea that he was getting a very superior animal, but the moment the gun was taken out they would either refuse to stir from heel, or run away altogether. I have known of such dogs sold after being exhibited, with warranties for nose, staunchness, field control, and retrieving, and the purchaser be unable to recover, because the dog ful- filled all these pledges, though, from shyness, not worth Nw Porooey a eal SINT: LLEWELLIN SETTER, DASHING NOVICE. c DASH II, (5039.) NovEL, (7219,) — = ———— = SELECTING A DOG. 65 a dollar. To test this all that is necessary is to fire a gun over him, this will also show whether he is a steady charger or a shot. breaker, the latter not conclusively but presumptively, as some dogs will break shot when they see the game fall, but charge steadily at all other times. Of course the only absolute and positive test is actual work upon game during the season, but as it is often desirable to purchase a dog before the season opens, a man of experience can generally determine the style of the dog by such a trial as I have mentioned. In the case of a tyro he had better by all means get a competent friend to examine and try the dog for him. In regard to price, it may be said, that as a rule a man must not expect to buy a well-broken experienced dog fora small sum. When we consider that with the most intelligent dogs it takes at least a year to bring them under perfect control, and give them the experience necessary to make them practical workers, it is easy to see that from fifty to one hundred dollars, for breaking is only a fair figure, and the breaker will never grow rich at that. If it is said that by taking a number of dogs he can afford to break them for less, it may be said on the other hand that every additional dog is a disadvantage, because with his time divided between many he cannot devote to each the attention it needs. I know there are breakers that advertise to break for twenty-five dollars, and it is not saying too much to state that these men never turn out a broken dog. Their manner of proceeding is to take a dog in the yard and teach him to stop and advance at the word, retrieve, drop to shot, and possibly the rudiments of quartering, 66 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. — all of which in ordinary cases can be taught in four weeks, though from having a large number of dogs on hand, and dividing his time between them, the breaker gener- ally keeps each from two to three months, and then turns him over to his owner as broken. The result of such breaking is evident as soon as the dog is taken into the field, for no sooner does he get the scent of game than the new idea banishes his faint conceptions of duty, and in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred the twenty-five dollar broken dog in one month’s time is not worth twenty- five cents, and is either condemned as good for nothing or sent to some good breaker, and thus costs his owner the first price over and above what he would have had to pay if he had sent him to a thorough, reliable breaker at first. Over and above the cost of breaking is the value of the dog himself, which varies according to quality, so that all considered, broken dogs cost all the way from one hundred and fifty to five hundred dollars. Occasionally well bred and well broken ones can be bought for less, when some sportsman is selling drafts from his kennel or giving up shooting, but as a general thing the prices I have quoted may be considered as warranted by actual sales, and many dogs would readily command more than the highest figure named. If a man does nor wish to pay such prices let him take a young pup and break him for himself. I shall show in another chapter that this is not such a difficult task as is supposed. If neither of these courses will suit him he must either content himself with an inferior animal or watch for one of those chances which some- a ee Ce ee ee SELECTING A DOG. 67 ———— times present themselves when an owner is obliged to dispose of a really good dog at a sacrifice. —_ 68 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. CEEAP iE R LV. Sih RS, THEIR BREEDING AND COMPARATIVE VALUE, N view of the magnitude of the interests involved, I should not feel justified in passing over the question of the comparative values of the different breeds of set- ters, and specially of the Llewellins and Laveracks, upon which there is now so warm a controversy. I confess to a strong opinion upon this issue, yet I do not think it a prejudicial one, because I have formed it after care- ful examination of the facts and evidence bearing upon the case, and which I think justify my conclusions. In presenting my views I have no wish to unwarrantably attack any man, but believing, as I do, a great error has existed in certain theories of breeding which have been advanced, I consider myself, in duty to my brother sportsmen, bound to expose this as fully as possible, and if in so doing, I denounce the action of any parties to this controversy, it will only be because they have at- tempted to draw public attention from the true issue by personal attacks upon those who have ventured to raise this question. I shall confine myself as closely as possi- ble to the evidence, yet I cannot entirely ignore the personalities I have referred to, because they contain statements which if unrefuted, place those against whom they are directed, in an unfavorable and unjust light be- —-————__—_ Say i fh = LLEWELL IN SETTER, CHAMPION PARIS, eon (LEICESTER, (4271.) Dart) ih bee A Ca ae y ; ; Ip MN 2 t ¥ f aay c i i ie yigy BUS ight ty} rae i ' ted tats tea i. pes eds 24 Tat at ie,” fi : ei) ae POTN PAS aa at ees Paes 0 3 U i } ; te . ae Naan) i P ff ‘ Pa Se Hee Coto ib rae i hed) 1m ie Raikes RAN t 4, en ‘ : 4 ‘% o ¥ 4 x ae ; Ca ae ‘ sf hi a ae - i . H ri An a tan Kee hy ee Pin eRe yh iN Tae ok a a MEL a at ay Dae hisiea a ise ah Sats A Ae aia ee meh 1 | SELTDPERS, DEIR BREEDING AND VALUE. 69 fore the public, as acting through prejudice and the furtherance of personal ends, while in truth this charge can with egwal propriety be brought against its authors. The question between the Llewellin and Laverack men briefly summed up is, were the latter dogs actually bred as their pedigree shows, and have they as much practical value as the former? The reliability of the pedigrees has long been a mat- ter of doubt in England, both from their extraordinary character and what is known of the acts and words of Mr. Laverack. Mr. John R. Robinson, who claims to be the special friend and successor of Mr. Laverack, and to know more of his manner of breeding than any one else, really started the present discussion by remarks he made about certain dogs which had previously been known as pure Laveracks, and the matter was brought to a head by Mr. Llewellin’s protest of the entry of Mr. Bowers’ “Comet” in the “ Pure Laverack” class at the Alexandra Palace show. This protest with the necessary forfeit was lodged with “The Kennel Club,” and was taken under consideration by the Committee of that body, but before any decision could be rendered, the Laverack men rushed into print with attacks upon Mr. Llewellin, and the sensational plea that the truth of the pedigrees should not be impugned because Mr. Laverack is dead and cannot defend himself. If there was no precedent for criticism of the acts and productions of men who have passed away, this plea would have weight it does not possess now, but on the contrary, such criticism is habit- ual, proper and necessary, and in no way inconsistent with the reverence which every true man feels for those 4 a 70 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. who have crossed the dark river which no mortal can ever recross. Bygone ages have been marked by theor- ies and superstitions, which have been exploded by the wisdom of later days, and common sense teaches us that only those principles are worthy of credence, which are proved true when submitted to the most rigid scrutiny. If a theory ora production gained sanctity by the death of its author, the investigations of science would be ham- pered and the wheels of progress blocked by the heaped up rubbish of the past; but fortunately the world does not recognize such investure, and all things are open for examination. Whatever is proved genuine is so rec- ognized and accredited at its full value. Prejudice or deliberate misconstruction may for a time cast a shadow upon it, but all men are not prejudiced or liars, and the more frequent and close the examination, the more sure and speedy is the vindication of the truth. If the Laverack pedigrees are truthful they will stand investigation and gain in character as reliable guides in breeding. They are so at variance with all generally accepted theories, that if substantiated, they will destroy those theories forever and revolutionize all recognized systems, but this fact alone should not discredit them, though it should make the examination more close and searching than if such opposition did not exist. If the pedigrees are truthful, their supporters should welcome investigation, because its result will place the pedigrees in a better position than they can gain in any other way ; but if on the other hand they are false, the world should know it, and neither the chivalry of respect for the dead, nor the specious pleading of interested advocates be al- = See ——————. SETTERS, THEIR BREEDING AND VALUE. 71 lowed to hide the fraud or continue it to the injury of present and future generations of sportsmen. It is for the interests of all breeders that they arrive at correct conclusions upon these pedigrees, as they cannot be ig- nored or over-valued without entailing serious loss. The question is one of evidence only, and possesses nothing of the sensational character with which special pleaders have sought to clothe it. It is one of hard facts, and can only be sensibly decided according as those facts warrant one or another conclusion. In “‘ The Setter,” Mr. Laverack gave upon page 21, a pedigree of his dogs showing that all down to and in- cluding Dash II and Moll III, were descended in an unbroken line and without the admission of any crosses, from Ponto and Old Moll, whichin a foot note to the page, he says he procured in 1825 for the Rev. A. Har- rison, near Carlisle, who had kept the blood pure for thirty-five years. He also gave in this pedigree the colors of the different dogs which were blue mottled black and white; black, white and tan ; orange and white and lemon and white. Upon the opposite page he gave the colors of Ponto and Old Moll as black grey and silver grey, respectively. These colors he further empha- sized upon page 22, where he says: “Color black or bluewand: white tickeda == 0") “Phere is) another variety of the same strain, called the lemon and white Beltons, exactly the same breed and_ blood. These are marked similar to the blues, except being spotted all through with lemon color instead of blue.” We have therefore not only the tables of descent, but also the only colors recognized by Mr. Laverack as 72 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. belonging to his pure breed. If this pedigree is correctly given, it presents two conspicuously salient points. First, the extreme degree of inbreeding, a degree it is. safe to say, never equaled in any other instance known; and second, the very small number of generations between Dash II and Ponto, and Old Moll, with the consequent longevity of each gener- ation. Dash II was whelped in 1862, thirty-seven years after Mr. Laverack procured his original breed for the Rev. Mr. Harrison. The dam of Dash II was Cora I], who was out of Cora I. She by Dash I out of Belle I, both by Ponto, out of Old Moll. Dash II was therefore the fourth generation from the original brace, giving nine years and three months as the average age at which each generation produced its successor. On his sire’s side, Dash II was the sixth generation, giving an aver- | age of sex years and two months. As the Laveracks in other men’s hands have never displayed any unusual longevity, the extreme improbability of the above show- ing is glaringly apparent. Mr. Llewellin protested Count on the ground that he was not a pure Laverack. Count was by Bandit, and he by Pride of the Border, which dog Mr. Llewellin claimed was descended from a cross to the Edmond Castle strain. In support of this protest he produced before the Committee of the Kennel Club, letters of Mr. Laverack’s and other evidence, showing that he crossed his dogs repeatedly; that Pride of the Border was the produce of a direct cross and was so recognized by Mr. Laverack, and that the pedigrees generally are wholly unreliable. I have in my possession copies cf asad ( gI%1) ‘VNYON--("6809) “IT ‘HSV) ZIINOSE 7 p7- > ee, ul , ¢ ey” LIYE, SETTERS, THEIR BREEDING AND VALUE. this evidence and know that it fully sustains these points, but I do not feel at liberty to give it in detail further than it has already appeared in the papers, because Mr. Llewellin for good reasons which he has explained to me, has not given it to the public. Enough outside evidence however remains to prove that Pride of the Border was cross bred, and to show the unreliability of the pedigrees, and this I will now call attention to. First, as to Mr, Laverack’s repeated crosses, I quote from page 30, of “The Setter.” “TI have ¢vzed crossing, or letting my blood loose, ten or a dozen times, but the re- sult has always been unsatisfactory: therefore I stick to intercrossing with my own strain, as I have ever found it to answer best.” Here then, we have an admission of crosses, but a denial that any of the produce was retain- ed. To offset this denial, we have the well known fact that Mr Laverack was a very crafty man who carefully concealed his manner of breeding from the public: this is shown by what he says in the paragraph preceding that I have already quoted, viz: ‘There are several secrets connected with my system of intercrossing that I do not think advisable to give to the public at present.” The nature of these secrets and proof that he ded retain the produce of at least ove cross, is shown by the follow- ing letter of his most intimate friend, Mr. Jiohmy Re Robinson, which appeared in the English “ Zzve Stock Journal” issue of December, 1880. “ ¢T am afraid that your (Mr. Vero Shaw’s) remarks on the Lav- erack, as to their supposed delicacy, etc., etc.: crossing is calculated to create an unfavorable impression of the breed. First, I may tell you there is no Nauworth Castle blood in them, although Mr. 74 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. Laverack did cross with that blood as an experiment, as he did also with several other strains; but none were satisfactory (with one ex- ception,) so that he did not perpetuate the crosses. I may add that about 1871-2, he tried a cross with one of his best bitches. One of the litter was a very handsome black dog, which he offered to me, but, like himself, I abominate a cross-bred animal, no matter how handsome. The black was sold or given to a brother of Edward Armstrong. The Armstrongs believe that a dash of the Nauworth Castle isin the Laverack. Quite a mistake. The only cross Mr. L. retained in his breed was the Edmond Castle. It is now nearly forty years ago, and at that time this strain was as pure and as good as his own, and the dog he crossed with was a wonderful performer, medium sized and splendidly formed; colour, liver-and-white, and this is where the latter colour comes from. Both the dam and the sire are mentioned in his book (“The Setter”), but not as being a cross. It was one of poor Laverack’s secrets. Rothwell was an old and esteemed friend of Mr. L.’s, and the puppies he bred were out of a pure bitch by Blue Prince, so that they were Laverack’s own blood. Two of the nine that died, died here in my possession— Eclipse and Dash (the formera present to me for ashow dog). They unfortunately had distemper before sent to me, and all I could do I could not save them, although I kept them alive much. longer than those at Whitechurch. His dogs got the infection in transit from his shooting in Scotland, being shut up in one of those abomi- nable dens called dog-boxes. Prince and Cora were so bad with mange that he had to send them to White, the vet., to have them cured. As to there being a “fatality” about the place, well, in my opinion he was right; and the cause was two large stagnant ponds, one adjoining the kennel on the north, and the other south of the house, into which the drainage flowed ; and the dogs made use of the pond. Besides, the sleeping berths were paved, which caused them to be very offensive. The yard was laid with a sort of earthenware flag, and properly drained, right enough. The situation is a beauti- ful one, but the sanitary arrangements were bad for the dogs.’ ” ‘«‘¢T reared five here in the midst of a large town—three my own. Daisy is one, dam of Emperor Fred; La Reine is another, and her brother Rock; also Victor now in London, and Ruby, which I sold SETTERS, THEIR BREEDING AND VALUE. 75 to L. R. Price. She was resold to Hemming, and she was sold at his sale.’ ” “¢Just a word about Blue Prince II. I have Mr. Laverack’s authority for declaring that he was not by his Blue Prince, nor out of his Cora. This affair, | can assure you, embittered my old friend’s last moments in a way that shocked me, but he felt the matter very strongly. Rall, too, I have the authority of Messrs. Lort and Walker for stating that he was got by a dog (not a Laverack) that Mr. Lort sent to New Zealand; and Flance, the dam of Novel, is not a pure Laverack. Novel shows her cross-breeding in her bad head and nasty light eyes. As to big leggy animals, Mr. Laverack detested (En svanls = ““« My object is not to detract the dogs I have named, but simply, as the late Edward Laverack’s representative, to protest against them being called Laveracks; for no dog is entitled to be so unless de- scended from the pure strain on both sides.’ ”’ Mr. Robinson here states that none of the crosses were satisfactory “‘weth one exception,” and a little further on that ‘the only cross Mr. L. retained in his breed was the Edmond Castle.” I will cite evidence presently to show that he did retain other crosses, but this is enough for the present. Mr. Robinson also states that both the sire and dam in this Edmond Castle cross ‘‘are mention- ed in his book (‘The Setter”) but not as being a cross. Tt was one of poor Laverack’s secrets,” (the italics in both these quotations are my own,) and still further says, he has ‘“‘Mr. Laverack’s authority” for declaring that Blue Prince II “was not by his Blue Prince nor out of his Cora.” This dog had always been publicly known as of this breeding, and Mr. Laverack endorsed this pedigree by allowing it to go unchallenged. Upon the evidence then of his most intimate friend, Mr. Laverack stands committed of deceiving the public in his book, and again 76 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. by allowing a dog to be known as of his breed that did not belong to it. With the fact of this Edmond Castle cross, and the retention of its produce thus established, let us see what evidence of other crosses and similar retention exists. In the first place, it can be fully proved that Mr. Laverack bred repeatedly to a dog owned by Lord Lovat of Beaufort Castle, Invernesshire. The dog he bred to is mentioned in ‘The Setter” in the highest terms; the fact of the breeding can be proved by the evidence of Lord Lovat's keeper, and the probability that the pro- duce was retained is made emphatic by Laverack’s repeated use of the dog, it not being supposable he would have returned to him if the result of the cross was unsatisfactory. Next, Mr. Walker’s Duchess, a sis- ter to Laverack’s Dash II was sent to the latter’s jietan own brother to his Fred II. Fred II is stated on page 20, of “The Setter” to be by Dash out of Moll, so that the produce of Duchess by Jet, would naturally be ex- pected to be typical Laveracks in form and color, but on the contrary the litter contained four red pups, a color never before shown by dogs of this breed. Mr. Laverack accounted for this color as a throw back to one of the dogs the Rev. Mr. Harrison écgax breeding from, seventy- jive years before, an assumption more creditable to Mr. Laverack’s powers of accounting for things he considered his secrets, than to the sense of the public which was asked to accept this explanation. Upon page 24, of “The Setter,” I find the following: ‘“So highly do I value the true blood belonging to the Irish, that I have visited Ireland four times for the express purpose of SEE RS) DEER BREEDING AND VALUE. AG ascertaining where the pure blood was to be found with a view to crossing them with my Beltons.” In view of the fact of Irish color exhibited for the first time in the Duchess litter, is it not more reasonable that Mr. Lav- erack tried an Irish cross, concealing it, as he concealed the Edmond Castle cross, than that there should bea throw back over seventy-five years ? From this Duchess litter, Mr. Laverack retained Mystery, a red dog, and used him in the stud, getting both red and black pups as well as others of the Laverack colors.. A red bitch by Mystery out of Cora named Ruby, was bought by Dr. Gautier, of New York, from Mr. Laverack, himself, and such doubt of her purity exist- ed owing to her color, that Mr. Laverack acknowledged the sale in the Amerzcan Sportsman, while that paper was under my charge. The same doubt was entertained of others of the color, disposed of in England, and in fact was never overcome by all the assertions of purity put forthin their defense. ‘‘W. F. 5S.” writing to the 4 mer- zcan Sportsman, March 14th, 1874, quotes from a letter of Mr. Laverack to Dr. Gautier as follows: ‘“ Ruby will most likely breed some livers and white, some ddacks, some blue or black and white, and some strain to Cora, dam of Ruby, lemon and white.” The black, which I have italicised, does not appear in the list of colors named byte eaveracinge wien oetter, (on 1 the pedioree given therein, so that the expectation of its appearance thus expressed, is strong presumptive evidence that Mr. Laverack £zew of a cross which would produce this color, as the experience of those who have tried crossing the Laveracks to the /rvzsk shows z¢ will. are ete ree oe re ale 78 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. The unreliable character of Mr. Laverack’s state- ments, and the fact of his crosses are further shown by the following extracts from an editorial note by Mr. Walsh (Stonehenge,) the Editor of The Field, in the issue of May 20th, 1882, and from a letter of Edward Armstrong, in Zhe Fveld, of May 27th?) Uhis extract from the note, and the first part of the letter, refer to Old Moll, the bitch Mr. Laverack always declared he pur- chased from the Rev. A. Harrison. Of this, Mr. Walsh says: ‘‘Moreover as to this statement it is doubtful whether Mr. Laverack’s memory served him correctly, _ for we have recently heard from Sir Frederick Graham that Mr. Laverack bought his original Setter bitch from | Mr. Connel, banker of Carlisle, for £8 8s., and crossing her with his (Sir F. Graham’s) strain, formed his breed.” The Armstrong extract is as follows: ‘Str :—In the controversy that is going on in your journal on the above subject a morsel of truth has leaked out at last, and that is your footnote to the letter signed “E. West.” Sir Frederick | Graham is perfectly right when he says that Mr. Connel’s Moll was bought by Mr. Laverack for £8 8s., and he might have added, too, that she was bought through my poor old father’s recommendations. I know the crosses to a nicety—every one of them—that Mr. Laver- | ack made from the late Sir James Graham’s and the present baronet’s kennel at The Flat. I also know the whole secret of Mr. Laverack’s system of crossing, and some day I hope to give a plain, unvarnished account of every cross he thought fit to make. One word to the Laverack advocates. When the poor old man died he did not leave his brains behind him ; in other words, he did not leave these advocates his great knowledge of mating setters with setters so as to produce perfect animals. Rest assured, every cross he made was for the best. None of the upstarts now can cross as he did.” | SETTERS, THEIR BREEDING AND VALUE. 79 Turning now to Pride of the Border, let us see what evidence exists that he was cross bred. First of all, I will quote from page 31, of ‘The Setter,” a paragraph which applies with equal force to Pride and the Duchess litter. « There is no better test of a pure breed of Setters thana perfect uniformity of race, that is in color, form and coat, and never throwing back to some other color and form unknown to the breeder.” The appearance of a color foreign to the breed is thus shown to-be positive evidence of impurity or cross breeding. The first thing which roused suspicion of Pride’s purity was his color, liver and white, which had never been previously shown by any Laverack. This color, Mr. Laverack accounted for by saying, Pride strained back thirty-five or forty years to the Edmond Castle strain. Manysupporters of the Laveracks have lately tried to account for this liver and white as naturally produced by the mixture of the blue and lemon Beltons, but apart from the fact that in all the years these dogs had been bred together, this result had never been obtained, it is evident Mr. Laverack did not consider this possible, or he would have availed himself of this excuse rather than be forced to the very improbable one of such reversion., A man of Mr. Laverack’s unques- tionable experience would certainly know as much of the production of colors as any of these theorists who are children in comparison with him, and if he did not reach their conclusion, it is good evidence that such conclusion is not well founded. Other parties have attempted to prove that the liver and white is not a proof of out-cross, because Countess when bred to Pilkington’s Dash pro- duced the liver and white Carlowitz. Countess was, until 80 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. lately, supposed to be by Dash IJ out of Moll III, anda sister to Nellie and Daisy. Pilkington’s Dash was by Waverack’s Dash Il out of Pilkington’s Will? ii these pedigrees were correct, Dash and Countess should not have produced out-colored progeny, but investigation has disclosed the fact that whatever she may have been she was not a Dash-Moll, and as one of the pedigrees giv- en of her by Mr. Laverack is identical with one of those he gave of Pride of the Border, it is probable she had the same predisposition as himself to produce the liver and white though not herself so marked. That Mr. Laverack made different statements as to the length of time over which Pride strained for his color is amply proved by reference to a letter of Mr. Robinson’s, which appeared in the Amerzcan Feld, issue of February 11th,1882, being reproduced from The Feld. In that letter Mr. Robinson wrote of Mr. Laverack as follows: ‘‘What he did say of Pride of the Border was this: ‘He has thrown back in color to the Edmond Cas- tle breed,’ which has lain dormant in his sort for thirty years (1 will swear, or take any affidavit the committee of the Kennel Club may require, that Mr. Laverack said thirty years,) which letters in my possession will prove.” As it happens, I also have letters from Mr. Laverack, written to me while I was editing the Amerzcan Shorts- man, and in one of these, which was in reply to one of mine, calling attention to an error in Pride’s pedigree, the dog then being the property of Mr. Raymond, Mr, Laverack wrote as follows: ‘“ Pride strains thirty-five or forty years back to the celebrated Edmond Castle, Co. Cumberland, a breed I consider equal to my own.” In ("CG . br e oF) “IL “ITII—(‘9gE1) ‘NVA ; d “Oy AAP Pp i ( 8 ) ‘NI = 34 Y ue UOWS if 9 06 OONIT WALLS NI : 3 E I TTAMATE sv a Wana day bik) 1h ia an ayn bape ii pha ey ie aura Deas TV ae te anton e Prue! ah) Hala Phy ook. Bea et ay ead DPC aa a it {ih hee na SAG RA LHe x r : i nT hae any WUPy iat ne rip! brie 4 va i Ra ne 1) ERO ta ee ” 7 ‘ ea eaves SETTERS, THEIR BREEDING AND VALUE, SI | another part of the same letter, he says ‘““he must have strained back for half a century or more to the old Ed- mond Castle breed.” Here then we have a discrepancy of from five to twenty years between the statements _ made to me, and those which Mr. Robinson says he will | swear to. Mr. Robinson says in the same letter I have already referred to, ‘““Mr-. Laverack did not cross his | breed in the way suggested by Mr. Llewellin, in fact he could not, for at the time there had not been a specimen of the Edmond Castle blood for many years, it having been merged in other families.” It would seem Mr. Laverack did not agree in this, for by reference to the first quotation from his letter to me, it will be seen he spoke of this breed as “a breed I consider equal to my own, and it is hardly probable he would use the present tense in speaking of an extinct breed. His letter was written April 1st, 1875, and would indicate that, at that time, he knew of pure specimens of the Edmond Castle blood and valued them highly. Mr. Robinson goes on from the above quotation to add, “It is now forty-three years since the blood was infused into Old Moll, and that only once; and she was always afterward bred to the dogs as described in the pedigree tables.” Forty- three years back from the date of this letter takes us to 1839, and as Mr. Laverack claims to have procured Old Moll in 1825, she must have been at the time of this infusion, a¢ least fourteen years old, so that the improb- ability of her breeding at all at that age, and much more | of her being bred later, as the tables show, is too appar- _entforcomment. That Mr. Laverack owned many dogs and bitches of the same names is well known, and the — 82 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. deduction from the inconsistencies in time stated for Pride’s straining back, from Mr. Laverack’s recognition of the Edmond Castle blood as late as 1875, (six years after Pride of the Border’s birth), and for the impossi- bility that Old Moll was bred to dogs as claimed by Mr. Robinson, supplemented by the repetition of names is, that Mr. Laverack did not tell Mr. Robinson any more than any one else when or how many times he crossed his dogs. That Pride of the Border was the result of a direct or very recent cross, would seem to be proved by the change from the Laverack characteristics which many of his progeny display. For in addition to perpetuating his color, he gave to many of his offspring a coarser form and different coat from the other so called Laveracks, some of them (as for instance Mr. Llewellin’s White- church Bess) even showing atop-knot. Such change is by inverse reasoning, proof of cross breeding, since as | have already shown, Mr. Laverack, himself, stated, uni- formity in color, form and coat constitutes the test of purity. Apart from all these proofs of crosses, which of themselves invalidate pedigrees that do not show cross breeding, those pedigrees are still further proved unre- liable by their inconsistencies and errors. Pride of the Border, tor)example,-appears in’ Vols.) miancde 2 (oimthe “Kennel Club Stud Book,” under three different pedi- grees, viz.: Vol. 1 in pedigree of Dash—1338—as_ by Pred Tout of Belle. Vol. 2, No. 4275 by Washi outiot Belle II, and in No. 4300 0f same Vol.,he appears as by Dash II out of Moll III. If it is said that these are SETTERS, THEIR BREEDING AND VALUE, 83 mere compiler’s blunders, the same excuse cannot be urged in cases where pedigrees were given by Mr. Laverack himself. When Pride of the Border first came to this country, Mr. Laverack gave him as by Fred II, out of Belle II. Upon this point I turn again to Mr. Robin- son’s letter, which I have already quoted from, and find: “As to Pride’s pedigree, Mr. Laverack declares that he was out of his ‘Old Belle’ (handsomer than any) by ‘Fred II,’ and as to his stating that Dash was the sire, it was undoubtedly a slip of memory; and I am certain that if he had been reminded of it he would at once have stated so, and declared Fred II the sire, which he always did to me, both verbally and in writing. Mr. Laverack’s letter to me, from which I quoted above, was in reply to one, asking for Pride's true pedigree, and calling attention to its being given as by Fred II. In reply he wrote: “I have, owing to defective memory, made a great error in stating Fred II sire of Pride. I had przor to selling Pride, given Old Dash as the sire to many parties in England. I have written to Mr. Ray- mond, acknowledging my error or mistake, and stating positively Old Dash is the true sire of Pride.” Countess was repeatedly spoken of and written of by Mr. Laverack, as by Dash II out of Moll III, but he gave a different pedigree to the gentleman who bought her from him and who sold her to Mr. Llewellin. One pedigree giv- en by Mr. Laverack was the same as one of Pride of the Border, and as both were born in the same year it is possible they were brother and sister, which would ac- count for the liver and white in their progeny. At the Birmingham show, 1869 and 1870, Mr. Laverack entered Eo PU eg Te 84 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. Dash as by “‘Sting—Cora,” the same pedigree which he gives in his book, but in the Dublin Catalogue, 1872, he was entered as “sire—Matt”—the latter being changed by Mr. Laverack to Moll, which was equally incorrect if Cora II was his dam. At Crystal Palace 1870, he was entered as by Dash II (ze. himself) —Moll I1I—and at Crystal Palace 1873 he was entered, as by ‘“‘ Blue—Cora II.” At Birmingham shows for 1866, 1867, 1868 and 1869, Fred II was entered as by ‘‘Fred I—Belle” while on page 20, of “The Setter, he appears as by Dash out of Molly (At%Grystal yealacein 1871, (Pride or thes border was entered as by ‘“‘ Dash—Moll,” but at the same show in 1872, he was entered as by “ Fred I]—Belle.” Other inconsistencies could be culled from the show catalogues and the stud book, but they are not needed. It matters not whether such blunders were the result of defective memory or otherwise, they are equally fatal to the reliability of the pedigrees; but when to such blunders is joined suppression of the crosses, of which no doubt can remain in the minds of reasonable men, the character of the pedigrees for accuracy or value is wholly destroy- ed, and with them must fall the theories of breeding which their advocates have built upon them. Let us see, now, how the committee of the Kennel Club regarded the issue raised by Mr. Llewellin’s protest of Comet. At its third meeting the committee agreed upon the following report : Copy or LETTER FROM KENNEL CLUB. Kennel Club, 29a, Pall Mall, S. W., March 9. Sir :—I beg to enclose £1, the amount of your deposit money, SETTERS, THEIR .BREEDING AND VALUE. 55 | re Comet. I also forward you a copy of the Kennel Club Committee’s resolution on the subject. a “The committee of the Kennel Club, having very carefully con- sidered the subject, and after a thorough perusal of Mr. Laverack’s own letters on the matter, and corroborative evidence produced by Mr. Llewellin, decline to affirm the correctness of Mr. Laverack’s pedigrees or his pedigree tables. Nevertheless, whereas certain dogs have been generally known, both in Great Britain and America as pure Laveracks, whereby the term has acquired a certain recognized and conventional meaning, and whereas Pride of, the Border, and all the other ancestors of Comet have been habitually so described, therefore the committee is of opinion that Comet was entitled to compete ina class limited to pure Laveracks, and that Mr. Bowers was acting within his strict rights in showing the dog in such a class.” —Yours faithfully, Hy. JAMES STEPHEN, R. Li. Purcell Llewellin, Esq. The committee thus declared the pedigrees unreliable, and the term “pure Laverack” only a conventionalism. It did not, it is true, disqualify Comet’s entry, but it admitted that Mr. Llewellin had sustained his protest by returning the £1 deposit, which by the Club rule would have been forfeited, if the protest had been unsustained. At first sight, this report appears to have but little force, but when viewed with due consideration for circum- stances, it stands out in far different light. In the first place, Mr. Llewellin is not a member of the club, but on the contrary it has been his bitterenemy. Again, many of its most influential members are breeders, and advocates of the Laveracks, so that this report, declaring the Committee could not “affirm the correctness of Mr. Laverack’s pedigrees and his pedigree tables,” was a decision against the interests of its members, and in favor of an opponent that could only have been wrung 86 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD.. ——___. from the committee by evidence of overwhelming force. To this report Mr. Llewellin made the following re- ply, in Zhe Feld, of March 18: To THE COMMITTEE OF THE KENNEL CLUB. GENTLEMEN,—I am in receipt of your letter containing the state- ment of your decision 7e my protest. I also beg to acknowledge your cheque for £1, in repayment of my deposit, which I paid in on first entering my protest, in accordance with your rule, and which deposit, owing to the character of your decision, you have returned to me. The definition of ‘ pure Laverack,” now made by the committee, has been made since I lodged my protest, and was made on March 7, z.e., three months after the date of the Alexandra Palace Show, at which show they instituted a class for “pure Laveracks,” without at that date in any way defining the term. . The fact that they then gave no definition of “pure Laveracks,”’ proves that at that date they accepted the commonly understood definition as universally recognized by setter breeders, and were therefore bound to hear the case under it, and no other. It is plain that if a new definition had not been made subsequent to the date of my protest, and during the progress of the inquiry, it would have been impossible to retain Pride of the Border as a “pure Laverack.” What was commonly understood by the term “pure Laverack”’ is well known, and has been stated in an editorial note in Zhe F7eld of March 4th, as follows: “The question really is (irrespective of Mr. Laverack’s veracity,) not whether they are pure setters, but whether they are bred from one brace of setters, (Ponto and Old Moll.)” It does not matter in the least to me whether the new Kennel Club definition, or the old and commonly understood one, of the term “ pure Laverack” is accepted ; but inasmuch as I brought for- ward the matter of the Laverack pedigrees for the purpose of the general improvement of the races of sporting dogs, so soon as I be- came possessed of a complete line of evidence, and, further, as J have been attacked for allowing my dogs to trace to pedigrees which you SETTERS, THEIR BREEDING AND VALUE. 87 ae have adopted, and which you now decline to affirm the correctness of—although in allowing them to appear in your Kennel Club Book i under the authority of the remark, “by rigidly excluding or point- ing out all doubtful pedigrees” (see Preface, vol. i., Kennel Club Book,) you have actually affirmed the correctness of the pedigrees— will you, therefore, in the next volume of the stud book, embody the statement you have now made to me, and through that medium convey to the public the knowledge which I have given you of the fact that Mr. Laverack knew of a difference in purity of blood between his Dash and Molls and all others he, in the spring of 1872, had in his kenne] and further state that his kennel contained at that time Pride of the Border, Blue Prince, the red ones, Mystery, Ruby, and others of the litter which were stated to be by Jet out of Duchess, and quote Mr. Laverack’s words, “We cannot come at the genuine pure breed now Moll is gone,” and the quotation in which he gives the history of the red ones, and his explanation of the colour? The Kennel Club, as the publishers of the only Kennel Stud Book, are responsible to the public, and the public expects that the Kennel Club shall place all the information they possess reflecting on pedigrees in juxta-position to the pedigrees concerned. If the Kennel Club agree in this opinion I shall consider my protest has fully answered its purpose. If, on the contrary, they do not, I, for one, shall in future decline the responsibility of adopting their errors, which would fall on me by the fact of allowing dogs bred by me to trace to their Stud Books, and am fully prepared for any possible depreciation to my kennel which might arise thereby. R. Li. PURCELL LLEWELLIN. South Ormsby Hall, Lincolnshire, March 14. The supporters of the Laveracks have tried to belittle the force of this report and to draw public attention from it by personal attacks upon Mr. Llewellin, but personal- ities are not arguments, and will not be accepted as such by men of common sense and fairness of judgment. They are the weapons of men forced into a corner but not 3 | 88 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. sufficiently manly to accept defeat in manly fashion, They are the weapons of the discourteous and weak, and resort to them, betrays that weakness and the puerility of character capable of such ebulitions of passion. If the pedigrees are reliable, why was not some proof of such reliability produced before the committee ? Where were the men who own Laveracks, and whose interests were imperiled by this attack upon the pedigree of their dogs? When, at the last meeting, Mr. Llewellin asked the president if any evidence had been put in on the other side, that he might meet it, the reply was, none at all. With what propriety then, do men who had nothing to offer in support of the pedigrees, when the opportu- nity to support them was presented, assail the character of the man who raised the question they allowed to go by default, or belittle the report which was forced by evidence too strong to be ignored? Mr. Llewellin’s character has nothing to do with the question. It is simply one of fact touching the claimed breeding of a strain of dogs, whose pedigree has been made the foun- dation of a good or ruinous theory, according to the truth or falsehood of the pedigrees. How strongly at least one member of the committee was impressed by the evidence, and how much more emphatic the report would have been coming from him, is evinced by the following extract from a letter of Mr. Llewellins, in Zhe fzeld, of May 20: “ Since the gentle- man in question isan influential member of the committee and took a very leading part in the inquiry, I shall, of course, not give his name, neither his exact words, but will give the purport of the same.” \VF Yh Oy iy LG Yih AY), fj RSS WS \ \\" we x SS \ \ N a) WY \) X SAN \y zs) i HM ENGLISH SETTER, POLLUX. (DASH, III, ('7147.)—HarbDy’s DIANA.) a Haee ea SEP ERS, DEER. BREEDING AND VALUE. 89 “He begins by stating, that my action has already done much good, in that it has shown that the original received idea of pure Laverack is untenable. He then goes on to say, there are certain facts which the public ought to be informed upon.” “1—_That Mr. Laverack gave an explanation of the appearance of red puppies ‘which shows him to have been thoroughly untrustworthy as a witness on pedigree’.” ‘> That the appearance of liver and white in Pride of the Border, Mr. Laverack accounted for in a similar unsatisfactory manner.” This letter called out Mr. John A. Doyle, in Zhe Field, of the week following. “S1r—The reference to me as a member of the Kennel Club committee in Mr. Llewellin’s last letter makes it almost necessary that I should say a word on my own behalf. I have not the slightest objection to his citing me as a witness, nor is there anything in his reproduction of my opinion which I wish either to contradict or to modify. On one point only must I correct him. He says that my letter to him, which he quotes, shows “the real feeling and judg- ment of the committee.” It would be unfair to my colleagues to allow that statement to go unchallenged. My letter was simply the private and extra-judicial expression of individual opinion, and did not profess to be anything more. It may perhaps be as well to add that the letter in question was written after the verdict of the committee had been formally given and made public. I have, as I said before, not the slightest objection to Mr. Lle- wellin quoting my opinion; but, if that opinion is to be made public, it would be, I think, more satisfactory to your readers, and only fair to myself, that the grounds of the opinion should be made equally public. With this view, I should like to state as shortly as may be the chief evidence on which I formed the opinion quoted by Mr. Llewellin. In a letter written by Mr. Laverack to Mr. Llewellin, and laid —— gO AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. before the committee of the Kennel Club, the following facts were stated : 1, that Mr. Laverack had several red setters; 2, that four of these were born in one litter ; 3, that none of them had any Irish blood ; 4, that the four were the offspring of pure English setters of Mr. Laverack’s own strain; 5, that the appearance of these red pup- pies was due to the presence of an Irish cross more than eighty years back, of which no trace had appeared during the intermediate years. Now, I ask anyone who has given a moderate amount of atten- tion to the breeding of dogs, or indeed any animals, to what conclu- sion would he come if suddenly there appeared in one litter four puppies of a colour wholly alien to, the breed, and unknown in it for nearly a century? Would it not at once be set down asthe result of an outcross, designed or accidental ? The only conclusion at which I could arrive was, either that Mr. Laverack had deliberately used an Irish cross, and wished to ~ conceal the fact, or that an Irish cross, had found its way in through accident, and that Mr. Laverack was so infatuated in favour of his own theory that he closed his eyes to plain facts, and fell back on an impossible solution. Either alternative—and I can see no other— effectually discredits Mr. Laverack as a witness. But we are asked to believe a statement extremely improbable in itself, namely, the descent of the Laverack setter from a single pair of ancestors, on the unsupported evidence of Mr. Laverack. If that evidence falls through, we have absolutely nothing to set off against. the inherent improbability of the case. It must be remembered that this theory has been used not merely to explain how good setters had been bred in the past, but how they ought to be bred in the future. I hold that the inquiry instituted by Mr. Llewellin, and the evidence adduced by him, has disposed of that theory and all that depends on it. That, neither more nor less, was what I said in my letter to Mr. Llewellin, and I am glad to have this opportunity of repeating it publicly.” Joun A. Dovte. If such is the opinion of a member of the committee, formed with full knowledge and careful weighing of the evidence presented, of what comparative value are the opinions of the Laverack men, who not only did not put SETTERS, THEIR BREEDING AND VALUE, gI in evidence on their side, but also do not know what the evidence presented really was, as it has never been made public in its entirety ? Such is the evidence gleaned from the papers and | the words of Mr. Laverack and his friends. Of its value | any disinterested man can judge for himself, and deter- mine too, whether it sustains the pedigree with their improbable ‘Adam and Eve” system of breeding, or shows them to be unworthy of credence. I have been very careful to exclude from this review of the case, so far as it has been possible to do so, all mention of Mr. Llewellin, and all quotations from his public letters, because I have wished to avoid the charge of appealing to prejudiced statements for evidence, preferring to rest the case upon that which is open to all and disinterested in character. I do not wish, however, to have this reti- cence misconstrued, or to be considered as in any way condemning Mr. Llewellin’s action in raising this ques- tion. I therefore place myself squarely upon record by expressing my firm conviction that by such action he has earned the gratitude of all breeders of sporting dogs, who are honestly interested in the improvement of the species, by breeding upon sound principles. I believe the majority of sportsmen already recognize this, and that all but those whose theories have been overthrown with the Laverack card house, will join ina general award of thanks as soon as the present excitement has passed away, and cool judgment appraises the Laverack pedi- gree, and its Adam and Eve theory, at their true worth. The comparative value of breeds must be decided by the records of their public performance. If. each Q2 : AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. breed belonged to a distinct strain, comparison would be easy, and the points at issue reduced to the minimum, but comparison of the Llewellins and Laveracks, 1s hampered by the fact that the former are in part of the latter blood, which is taken advantage of by the Laverack men, to set up the claim that the goodness of the com- posite breed is due to this strain. This claim is, I think, utterly disproved by the following facts, viz: First, that the blood, which apart from the Laverack makes up the Llewellins, is as noted and as pure as that is. Second, this outside blood produced winners before it was united with the Laverack. Third, this peculiar combination has produced more trial winners, and dogs of higher quality, than any, or all other crosses with the avericks. Fourth, the Llewellins have steadily improved upon past generations, while the Laveracks have produced but three representatives of any note as field performers, and those contemporaneous, a decade ago. Let us examine these points in detail. Upon page 73, of the third edition of ‘The Dogs of the British Isles,” Stonehenge says: “A great many strains of English setters might be adduced from all parts of the country, but notably from the north of England, with claims superior to those of Mr. Laverack’s strain up to the time of the institution of field trials. Among them, were the Graham and Corbet breeds, those of the Earl of Tankerville, Lord Waterpark, Mr. Bishop, Mr. Bayley, Mr. Lort, Mr. Jones (of Oscott) Major Cowan, Mr. Withington, Mr. Paul Hackett and Mr. Calver, the last two being a good deal crossed with Gordon blood.” The Llewellins are made up of Schalat| SETTERS, THEIR BREEDING AND VALUE. 93 the blood of Mr. Barclay Field’s Duke and Mr. Statter’s Rhoebe, or of one or both crossed to the Laverack. The produce of Duke and Rhcebe are as much Llewellins as the dogs with the Laverack cross. Duke was a son of Sir F. Grahams Duke out of Sir Vincent Corbet’s Slut, and Rhoebe was got by Mr. Paul Hackett’s Rake, so that Duke and Rhcebe from whom the Llewellin’s spring, are descendents of breeds which Stonehenge says, had claims superior to the Laveracks, up to the institution of field trials. Starting from this point, it appears.to me, if it can be shown that szzce the institu- tion of field trials, the Duke Rheebe blood has held its own against the Laverack, it is a fair deduction to claim it has maintained its previous superiority, and this I think the records will prove. Before going further, I wish to dispose of the pre- sumptuous assertion that the Laveracks are a breed, while the Llewellins are not, which I will do by quoting from an editorial note by Mr. Walsh (Stonehenge) in The Field of May 20th, 1882, viz: “it is idle to say that Mr. Laverack created a breed, whereas Mr. Llewellin has only taken advantage of materials ready made, Even Mr. Laverack, himself, admits that he obtained his Adam and Eve from a friend, and simply bred from them.” This position will, I think, be accepted by all fair minded men, prejudiced declarations and learned(?) arguments to the contrary notwithstanding. Turning now to the record of the Duke Rhcebe blood before it was crossed with the Laverack, I find that Duke won at every trial he ran in during a period of four years, his work eliciting the highest 94 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. commendation from the sporting press. Dan and Dick, the produce of Duke and Rheebe, were also noted trial winners. Dan ran at but one meeting, as he injured his shoulder shortly after, and was phys- ically incapacitated for trial work, but at that meeting he ran in three different classes, one being the champion, which was regarded as the most important of trial events. In commenting upon the champion stakes, the stud book, which was compiled from 7%e /ze/d report, says: ‘This stake was regarded with great interest, as being to some extent a trial between the comparative merits of Mr. Laverack’s breed, and that of Sir Bellingham Graham, as exhibited in Mr. Field’s Duke. Bruce, described | erroneously as by Duke, was really by Mr. Laverack’s Dash, out of Mr. Statter’s Rhoebe, while Dan was out of the’same bitcheby, Duke. ~~“ Dhe result would go to show the great superiority of Duke as a stock dog over Dash.” Dick won at four trials at Shrewsbury and South- hampton in the years 1871 and 1872. So far, at least, the outside blood held its own. That the Llewellins have produced more trial winners than the so called pure Laveracks, and all other crosses on that blood outside of the Duke Rhcebe combination, is simply a matter of figures which anyone can discover who will examine the records in the ‘‘ Kennel Club Stud Book,” and in the reports of our own field trials. That the Llewellins have higher quality than any others is proved by the fact that they have defeated the best rep- resentatives of all other strains. If the goodness of the Llewellin Setter is due to their Laverack blood, it is only | ———__—___ SETTERS, THEIR BREEDING AND VALUE. 95 reasonable to expect that the so called ‘“ pures,” should produce better specimens than this combination, because if the Laverack is the best blood in the combination, its union must be a mingling of better with poorer, and the natural sequence of such is, that the influence of the poorer element will produce progeny not so good as when only the best influence is brought to bear. So too, if this Laverack blood is the best, it should show in some single instance at least equally good results in a cross, that exists in the cross to the Duke Rheebes, But the records of trials show that the Laveracks have done nothing of late years to sustain the reputation made for them by Countess Nelly and Daisy, and that of all their crosses outside of the Llewellins, but one dog, viz: Mr. Macdona’s Ranger, has shown first-class field form, yet he was beaten by four different Llewellins and by some of them, more than once. It is also a sig- nificant fact that the Llewellins defeated him in more trials than all the other dogs he met, both setters and pointers. ‘Two things are necessary to a first-class dog, viz: personal quality, and the ability to perpetuate this. That the Laveracks have not been able to sustain the re- putation made for them, shows their failure in the stud, and joined to this we have the notorious fact of Ranger's almost utter worthlessness as a stock dog. No dog in England was as extensively bred from, owing to his great field reputation, yet he never succeeded in produc- ing offspring equal to himself; but few of his descendents have been able to win any place at trials, and the conclu- sion that he was nowhere in comparison with such dogs as Dan, Count Windem, Dash II, Dashing Bondhue 96 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. and others, is fully justified by facts. Ranger was the _ only dog of Laverack and other blood, outside of the | Llewellins, that ever won any great reputation, and he | was consequently quoted as an example of what the Laverack blood could produce in crossing, but this fail- | ure of the only conspicuous individual, proves, most __ conclusively, that the Laverack does not produce as good results from any other combination as from the Duke Kheebe, and, if neither in the line of straight descent nor through other crosses, the Laveracks have vindicated their claimed goodness, it is certainly unfair to assume that the quality of the Lleweilins is due to this blood. It has been claimed as proof of the influence of Laverack blood, that some of the best Llewellins have | possessed a larger share of it, than of the Duke Rheebe. An offset to this is found, however, in the fact that others equally good have possessed less Laverack than those quoted as such examples, and that Dashing Ditto—prob- ably the best trial bitch in the world—is stronger in the Duke Rheebe than any other of the dogs Mr. Llewellin has run of late years. The progressive power of the Llewellins is amply proved by their public performances. The trials this year were but repetitions of former victories, except that they | were marked by even more brilliant success. The plac- ing of Mr. Llewellin’s four entries, equal first, in their stake, was without precedent, and this was supplemented by one of the four winning the Derby, making the third won by Mr. Llewellin, a record without a parallel in trial history. This Derby winner was the #/¢/ generation of consecutive winners, running back to Duke. What = 44) (i LLEWELLIN SETTER DASHING MONARCH. DASH II, (5039.)- COUNTESS MOLL, (5065.) \ \\ ahi Aina eta oa i i te wh Say »} AUR ae Ve i Me ebat PRG m Ze aR al ae a SETTERS, THEIR BREEDING AND VALUE. 97 comparison, then, can be drawn between such dogs and the Laveracks, whose whole reputation rests upon the performance of three bitches, a decade ago? Thisis not a matter of bald assertion, but is a fact, which the warmest friends of the Laveracks cannot controvert. Prejudiced declamation carries no conviction in the absence of sustaining proofs, and that stich proof is wanting, is evident when we search the records for Lav- eracks that have displayed any high quality in the field either side of the water. What can be thought of a breed claimed by its advocates as the ées¢, that has never produced a single poe of first class field quality? Upon page 70, of “The Dogs of the British Isles” edition of 1878, Stonehenge says: “No dog however, of the pure breed, has put in an appearance at any field trial with any pretension to high form.” Since this assertion was made, no Laverack dog has disproved the insinuation it conveys, by winning abroad, and though Thunder proved a winner here,—for which he has been lauded to the skies —his inferiority to the prominent Llewellins is too well known to admit of argument. A few Laverack bitches have also won, but that they deserve any mention in comparison with Countess, Nelly and Daisy, no man will pretend to claim. So that the whole reputation of the breed, since Countess’ time, depends upon the perform- ance of Thunder, and these second rate bitches, ashowing which certainly does not indicate that the breed has sus- tained its prestige, or that it will stand comparison with one whose latest record is as brilliant as its earliest. It is true that the Laveracks have won some bench prizes, but apart from the fact that such prizes are 98 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. insignificant in comparison with those won in compett- tions calling out the higher and more important field qualities, we have also to remember that the Llewellins have numbered more winners of the double honors. of bench and trials than any other breed in existence, so that, turn which way you will, the Laveracks can present no evidence to support a claim of superiority. The competition of other breeds with the Llewellins has not been marked with any better success. That some individuals have proved winners cannot be denied, but as ‘‘one swallow does not make a summer,” neither do these exceptional victories prove the equality of the breeds to which such winners belong. So long as the Llewellins score more winnings than any one other breed, its superiority is established by the most severe of all tests, and will be recognized by fair minded men despite the assaults of envious defamers, or the pre- sumptuous claims of those who seek to gain for other dogs a reputation they do not deserve, and which their own powers fail to sustain. BEST DOG FOR AMERICAN SPORTING. 99 CISA IE IBIR, TW THE BEST DOG FOR AMERICAN SPORTING. HERE are five varieties of dogs adapted to American | field sports, but of these two have a comparatively limited sphere of usefulness. All of our sporting is done with setters, pointers, spaniels and hounds of the varieties I have mentioned, and the object of this chapter will be to show which of the three former is best calcu- lated to most fully meet the requirements of the sportsman who seeks a dog for general work. In considering this question intelligently, a due regard | must be had for the circumstances of our sportsmen, _ and the nature and peculiarities of our hunting grounds and game birds. As the surface of our country presents every variety of ground frequented by the sportsman, and the birds which we seek are very diverse in char- acter, it is evident that to fully meet all requirements a kennel of several breeds might be maintained and hunted to advantage; but as an offset to this we have the fact that but very few are in such circumstances, either pecuniarily or in point of habitation, as to allow of the keeping up of such an extensive establishment. The great majority keep but one dog, and with this they expect to do general work; consequently they want the best dog for work at all times and over all kinds of country, whether brake, bog or upland. TOO AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. The honor of first place must lie between the setter and pointer, since, as we shall presently see, the spaniel has such a narrow field for the display of his qualities that he is practically entirely out of the competition. With the field thus reduced to two, a choice can be fairly made, since we have only to give the dogs a thorough test by actual work, and select that one which shows the greater capacity for adapting himself to all wants. I have said that the spaniel has a limited sphere, and is consequently unable to compete with either pointer or setter, but lest I be accused of injustice towards this willing and faithful little fellow, I will pause a moment to consider what his uses are. According to his most ardent admirers his proper place is in the thick covers haunted by the ruffed grouse, or woodcock, and his work consists in finding these birds and flushing them for the gun, first giving notice of the game by a whimper that swells into a sharp yelp as the bird takes wing. Now, granting (to save argument upon this point) that this is the most sportsmanlike and killing way of hunting cover, it must at least be conceded that the spaniel is of no use in the open, where from staunchness at point we can allow dogs thus endowed to range over ten times the ground, and consequently to find ten times the game, that a spaniel could, since he must be hunted within gun-shot all: the time in order to give any shots. Very little of our shooting is in such thick cover that a good bush shot cannot go up to his setter when on a point and kill his bird as it rises. I have indeed seen such places, and have often found birds quite plentiful in them, owing to the fact that the difficulty of the shoot- 4 BEST DOG FOR AMERICAN SPORTING. ing kept hunters away. Under such circumstances spaniels would certainly prove killing dogs, though no- where else can they, in my opinion, compare with either setters or pointers, and even in such places a setter or pointer that is taught to flush at command will equal the best spaniel. I know, too, that some men use them to tree ruffed grouse; but as I am writing for sportsmen who would scorn to pot this gallant bird, and who esteem a bag not for its numbers but for the skill by which it is obtained, I will not make further mention of this practice, but pass on, considering that I have sustained my assertion regarding the spaniel. The dog that we want must work equally well in cover and open. He must be fast and staunch enough to range the stubbles or prairies for the quail or pinnated grouse, and tough and enduring enough to hunt day after day through cat-briers and thickets for woodcock and ruff- ed grouse, and over wet, cold marsh lands for spring snipe, Both pointers and setters have their warm friends and advocates, but in my opinion the Setter is far the most generally useful animal, and consequently the dog for this country. In support of this estimate I quote again from Laverack, who says: ‘That the setter is the most generally useful of shooting dogs, I fancy few will deny, being possessed of more lasting powers of endurance, therefore better adapted for a localities and weathers. The setter can stand cold or heat alike; the hair on his feet and between his toes allows him to hunt rough cover as well as the spaniel.” In the course of thirty years’ experience in the field I have met with a great many dogs, and have seen pointers and setters thoroughly 102 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. —— tested together, yet have never found the pointer that could follow a good setter day after day through a sea- son, beginning with snipe in March and ending with quail and ruffed grouse in December, nor do I believe the pointer ever existed that could dothis. It has never been my fortune to hunt in the extreme Southern States, and I know the pointer is very popular there, so I will concede him superiority in those portions where the ground is dry and open and the climate hot; I will also grant that for grouse-shooting on the prairies from August 15 to September 10 he can beat the setter, because generally the prairies are then very dry and the setter needs water even more than the pointer; but here his superiority ends: each of these dogs has his sphere, and this is the pointer’s. It is, however, limited both in ex- tent and in time, for no sooner have the extreme heats of summer passed than the setter can go to the prairies and do fully as good work as the pointer, proving him- self in all respects equal on the pointer’s own ground, while the latter dog cannot follow the setter over cold marshs for spring snipe, nor through the frost-hardened, thorny covers where the fall woodland game birds dwell. These assertions are not matters of mere personal opinion, for they are susceptible of proof, and I know that they are endorsed by most if not all of our practi- cally experienced sportsmen, as well as foreign authorities, one of whom—“ Stonehenge’”—bears the following tes- timony: ‘Moreover, where there is not heather there are bogs, both in Irish and Scotch moors, and on wet ground the setter is also better than the pointer, as he is more enduring of fatigue, cold and wet.” BEST DOG FOR AMERICAN SPORTING. 103 I have heard of pointers which had pluck enough to face the thickest cover, and whose owners would back them against any setter; but such dogs have generally belonged to gentlemen who could leave their business for only an occasional day, and as their dogs performed well upon such occasions they deemed it conclusive evi- dence that they would do equally well on all, when the fact is that such limited tests really form no standard for just judgment. The men who work their dogs more severely than any others are the market shooters, whose occupaticn calls them to the field daily through the entire season. I have known many such, but never one who did not | prefer the setter to the pointer, except for the specialty of prairie shooting in August and early September, and as such men have better opportunities than any others for testing the endurance of both dogs, their opinion is | entitled to as much weight as Stonehenge allows to masters of fox hounds upon the points of those dogs. The most sceptical admirer of pointers can, however, satisfy himself upon their endurance, if he will give ita fair trial, not of an occasional day, but of four months honest hard work. Let him start the dogs together ona prairie, the first of September and work east to New Eng- land, and before the middle of December, I will stake my reputation, the pointer will be unable to leave his kennel if he is working against a setter worthy of the name. I am not prejudiced upon the comparative merits of these dogs by the fact that I own setters. For many years I shot over the best pointers money could buy, and I fancy, too, those old time dogs could outstay the flashy 104 AMERICAN KENNEL 2A ND: TELE ED: flyers which the speed craze has developed, at any rate their skins were tougher and better fitted to stand briers, but the best of them went down when tried against set- ters, and I was forced to give them up or keep more dogs than my friends to do the same amount of work. For fifteen years of my early sporting life, | shot each season with a friend who hunted for the market (though I never sold a bird in my life except when I have gone to the prairies, and like other men have sent my surplus birds to a dealer, rather than allow them to spoil and be an‘utter waste) during this time I had an opportunity to test pointers ¢horoughly, and became convinced of their inability to stand work with setters, so that my present choice is based upon no scanty experience. Leaving the question of endurance, there is another mooted point worthy of consideration—viz: nose. This is a more difficult matter to settle than the other, but the records of field trials show that where the two breeds have been brought into competition, the pointers have been beaten with but few exceptions. In England, pointers and setters are run in separate classes in many stakes, but there is generally a prize for the best dog of either breed, in order to get at the actual winner; this brings together the winners in their respective classes, and the setter victories are therefore specially indicative of superiority in this most important quality as well as others. The old Spanish pointer was very possibly the best nosed of all sporting dogs, but the various crosses which have been introduced in developing the modern | dog, while resulting in great general improvement, have, I think, reduced his scenting power below that possessed C6LEE) “SSOTA (CeOrg) ‘MOOY 8, MOTHLA AMET (L608) ‘“asQOUD NOIdNVHO ‘WALLAS NOGUOS | 4g Z EZ. lB cbaae ai “ap v neu! wih) f, a s ae bi eae ee ah ier Tet BEST DOG FOR AMERICAN SPORTING, TO5 by the old Spaniard. Certainly the superiority of the setters nose is declared by the expressed convictions of prominent authorities. For, turning again to Laverack, I find the following words: “ There is no doubt that good bred setters are quite as keen of nose as pointers.” An- other writer—Daniel—in his work on “ Rural Sports,” says of setters: “Their noses are undoubtedly superior.” Again, the friends of the pointer claim that he is easier to break than the setter, and less inclined to grow rank for want of work. I will admit this with certain limi- tations, viz: that the pointer, from his more quiet disposition and comparative lack of the dash and fire pecu- liar to the setter, is an easier dog for an zvexpertenced man to handle, and for the same reason he will not show so wild at the first of a season, after months of neglect: but for an experienced breaker, or any man who stud- ies his dog’s nature, I think the setter’s dash is an extra attraction, and my own experience shows me that the setter is less likely to be sullen in disposition and is generally a more we/zug pupil than the pointer. As for rankness, that is the fault of the owner alone, for if he will give his dog reasonable exercise and keep him under _ control, by a few moments of daily yard-work, he will find there is no difficulty in securing prompt obedience and steady work the first day he takes the field. Ifa man cannot do this he should put his dog into the hands of a steady, reliable breaker, who will do it for him; and if he will do neither, as I said before, it is his own fault if he has a wild dog at the opening of the shooting, and I do not believe in condemning the dog for his master’s fault. 7 106 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD.. There remains yet one point to be brought forward in favor of the setter, viz: retrieving. I claim the setter a better general retriever because he will retrieve from water, while as a rule the pointer will not, It frequently happens that a sportsman gets a day’s duck shooting, but has so little of this that it will not pay him to keep a regular duck dog, yet if he lives in the west or can slip away to some resort of water-fowl, he wants.a dog to bring his birds from the water. Mr. J. W. Long, in his very interesting and valuable work on American wild-fowl shooting, speaks in strong terms of the setter as a duck retriever, and as he probably had as extensive experience as any man in the West in this branch of sport, his opinion is certainly worthy of regard. I have both heard of and seen pointers that would face cold water, and even break their way through thin ice to retrieve, but where you find one which will do this you will find a hundred that will not enter the water at all, except in warm weather. On the other hand, the setter, from his spaniel origin, can always be madea good water retriever by proper handling, and though not so enduring for constant water-work asa dog whose habits are more naturally aquatic, he will render good service in this line ; and as we are supposed to be seeking a dog with the most varied and general powers of attainment, this is certainly worthy of note, and justly entitles him to a higher rank than a dog which cannot be thus used. My deductions from the foregoing are: If a man lives in a wooded country abounding in small patches of thick cover and is not a good enough shot to kill his birds therein, let him use a spaniel to drive the birds out ; BEST DOG FOR AMERICAN SPORTING. 107 $$. Amma if he lives in a hot, dry country and never shoots else- where, a pointer will suit him best; but if he wants a dog for all kinds of work, and over which he can kill every variety of game bird with the least regard to cover, footing, or temperature, let him get a high-couraged pure-blooded setter, intelligently handle and break him, treat him well, and fear no form of dog that can be brought against him. Such a dog V’pronounce the best animal for American upland shooting. I have given no consideration to the dropper, or cross between setter and pointer, in speaking of the dogs worthy to be made the companions and faithful servants of the sportsman. This has not been an oversight, but a deliberate reserve, growing out of the conviction that this dog is utterly worthless, and not deserving of a place among our favorites. While I was editing the American Sportsman a sharp controversy was carried on in that paper, in the course of which the champions of the dropper tried to prove that he is all his master’s fancy paints him, but in so doing they were brought face to face with every recognized authority upon kennel matters, who state emphatically that droppers are curs. These assertions are not based upon prejudice unwar- ranted by facts, for droppers have been bred and tested thoroughly in England, and if they are no longer recog- nized there as sporting dogs, it is because experience has produced their condemnation. Even allowing that this cross gives a good working dog in the first gener- ation, he certainly is no better than a straight bred setter or pointer, and even this possible virtue is short lived, since the second generaticn is always an utter failure. 108 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. | This is the verdict of every English writer, and that breeders agree with it is proved by the fact that no droppers are to be found in any reputable kennel. There is not a writer of the present time, who saysa word in favor of the cross-bred dog. ee — —— BREEDING. 109 CHAPTER VL, BREEDING. REEDING, in the present acceptation of the term, means something more than the mere reproduction of species. Formerly, all that was considered necessary was that the parent dogs should be good field perform- ers, and no stress was laid upon blood, antecedents, or adaptability to each other. This course was followed from a blind confidence in the rule that “like begets like,” but experience has shown that, for this to hold true, there must be present certain controling conditions, too frequently absent in the past. If this was an infallible law, and field qualities were all was that necessary, then these, when present in the parents, would exert a suffh- ciently strong influence upon their progeny to overcome all bad tendencies arising from impure blood; but that it is not so has been amply proved by the constant failure of offspring to equal their parents. There is but one safe foundation to build upon, and that is a stock that for many years, and from generation to generation, has displayed the same marked characteristics and attributes. Even this will not in a// cases give the desired results, but the exceptions will be much less striking and numer- ous than where the influences of pure blood and approved qualities are neglected. Blood tells in everything, and though occasionally we see some scion of an illustrious oe ee IIO AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. race entirely unworthy of his lineage, it is certainly safe to say that for one such instance there will be twenty found in the more plebeian ranks which have no such records to boast of. Breeding is a science that is but imperfectly under- stood in this country, where until lately but little attention has been given to its fundamental principles. To be © successfully carried out the physical and_ instinctive characteristics, as well as the keenness of certain senses of individual animals, must be studied and thoroughly comprehended. By physical characteristics, I mean the good and bad points of formation, as well as speed, style and endurance; by instinctive: intelligence, dispo- | sition, point, staunchness, caution and love of hunting; _ by the senses, I refer to what is called “nose,” not only in keenness to detect scent, but in power to follow it out under unfavorable circumstances. It may seem at first sight that a dog which shows good nose in any way, will not be deficient in the ability I have last mentioned, but in the course of my experience I have seen many that would point at long distances when the scent came directly from the birds, yet could not road a faint trail, seeming to lose it in its devious windings. Any sports- man who will look back over the days he has spent in the field, will, I think, recall many instances where cunning birds have puzzled and finally got away from the dogs, and in view of the frequency of such examples, will agree with me that a good roader is rare. I will admit that many dogs gain in roading ability with age and ex- perience, but this is simply due to increased knowledge how to use their noses, and to experience in the ways BREEDING. If a of the game. Some dogs never acquire this ability, though, as I have said before, they display unquestionably good noses in other ways, hence I am led to believe it a special faculty, though of course dependent upon keeness of scenting power. | All these attributes are essential to a first-class dog, but first-class ones are exceptional. Since, however, they are so important they should be bred for, and the mating of individuals be determined by their ability to strengthen these qualities when present in both, or to supply them when lacking in one by their preponderance in the other. It is thought by many careful observers that the male controls the form, and the female the mental or instinctive qualities; this theory being supported by the claim that as the bitch is most intimately associated with her progeny during the time that they receive in- fluence while in embryo, she naturally controls their higher powers. Something, of course, must be conceded to the dog, and to him form is consigned, as this may be governed by less potent influences. Though I am not prepared to go to the extent of yielding entire con- trol of the higher qualities to the female, I do believe she exerts a stronger influence than the male as a rule. I know that the progeny of a gun shy dam are more likely to display the same failure, than from a bold dam and a shy sire. I could also quote other evidence in support of my views, but be the main theory right or wrong, I do not believe in breeding from a bitch that is deficient in any of the higher essential qualities. It | is true that the progeny of such, can be bred up to the | It 1 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. highest standard in time, but this will require judicious mating, which the occasional breeder may very possibly not find opportunities for, and in any event it will be perpetuating deficiencies for correction. Of course, men who own fairly good bitches will not discard them as breeders because of their imperfections, but in writing of theories I must presuppose the most favorable condi- tions. An imperfect bitch must be sent to as nearly as possible a perfect dog, and the man who owns a dog that is deficient in some quality, yet from which he wishes to breed, must select a bitch that is specially strong where the dog is weak, and thus endeavor to obtain progeny that will be an improvement upon the sire. As promiscuous breeding, no matter how a single union may result, will never produce a good strain of dogs, we must be careful in selecting stock animals to get those with blood derived in unbroken course from a line of proved excellence, endowed with race character- istics. By race characteristics, 1 mean the possession by all members of the breed of the same attributes, though of course these will vary in degree with individuals. The establishment of race characteristics insures their reproduction in succeeding generations, with only such individual exceptions as occur in all races from man down through the lowest orders of creation. Uniformity in attributes can only be found in the purest breeds and its exhibition is certainly a proof of purity. Each strain has its characteristics, and mixing blood must therefore result in a marked variation that is the very opposite of uniformity, and utterly destructive to any (1610.) LANG, CHAMPION (RUBEN (1615) —MONA.) TIP aR. 4 ORDON SE G + Ss a es BREEDING, rs predetermination of the result of a contemplated union. Breeding in mixed blood is a matter of mere guess work, but pure blood gives as sure a guaranty of progeny, worthy of their descent, as can be obtained of anything that is yet tobe. By mixing blood I refer to speculative crossing, and not to those well known breeds that have been made up of different strains. No matter what the origin of a family or breed may be, when it has been confined to certain lines of blood long enough to have established characteristic attributes, it is entitled to a name as a breed, and may be depended on to reproduce its characteristics. If, then, strange blood with its influ- ence be introduced, new exhibitions will follow as a natural sequence, and what those exhibitions will be —whether good or bad—can never be determined in advance. Again, when a breed has established a repu- tation for fine quality it is folly to run the risk of destroying this by experiments. To “let well enough alone” is a sound principle, and hereditary goodness is a far more reliable foundation than can be found in the shifting sands of experimental crossing. There is one-danger, however, to be guarded against in sticking to blood, and that is excessive inbreeding. Dogs may be zxz¢teréred—that is, bred within the lines of certain strains—for many generations, not only with- out injury but with absolute improvement, because such interbreeding is the only course through which race characteristics can be established and intensified. Breed- ing between the descendents of the same parents is, however, destructive if persisted in, because the bad qualities—both physical and mental—are intensified as ee 1B ihyal AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. well as the good ones, and consequently there can be no improvement, and as Nature never stands still, if there is not an advance there will surely soon be a retreat. When I speak of the same attributes being common to all members of the same breed, I do not refer in Setters to that “sortiness” or physical likeness which is esteemed in foxhounds, but to the common possession of good forms and superior field quality. To attempt to produce sortiness of appearance in setters must, I think, result in greater loss than gain, because in striving for this, more valuable qualities will be sacrificed. Take as examples the Llewellin and Laverack setters. Simi- larity of form is not a characteristic of the former, though in field quality they surpass all others. This form variation is due to the fact that Mr. Llewellin has bred his dogs for work rather than for show. I do not mean that his dogs are ill formed or not adapted for the bench, as that would be at once disproved by their bench record. Individually they are grand, because the form best adapted for hard work must be the best possible in construction and proportion; this the Llewellins have, but collectively, they are not sorty. If adozen Llewellins and a dozen Laveracks are put together, the famzly resemblance of the latter will be much greater than of the former, yet the Llewellins will be as well formed individually. Sortiness of either appearance or field quality, can only be obtained by close confinement to certain lines of blood, though this need not be carried to the extent of mating members of the same family. The Llewellins are interbred; they are made up of certain BREEDING. eS strains to which I have referred in a past chapter, but they are not inbred like the Laveracks. The Adam and Eve theory of the Laverack pedigrees is contrary to all experience, and for this reason, even if no other evidence of unreliability existed, those pedigrees would be discredited by all who place more confidence in scien- tific principles, than in the word of any individual, but though the Laveracks were not inbred as their breeder asserted, the blind acceptance of his pedigrees has led to an amount of inbreeding of late years, which has impaired the working qualities of the dogs, though it has impressed upon them the family resemblance now so marked. This resemblance is much more noticeable of late years than formerly, which of itself, shows that the dogs were not inbred then as now. Certain parties have attempted to prove that the Laveracks are bred just as their pedigree shows, because this family resem- blance would be destroyed by crossing, but this argument is not applicable to the pedigrees, because the marked resemblance in question is a thing of comparatively recent origin, and has been established since the time when Mr. Laverack made his crosses, by subsequent inbreeding. ‘This is not a matter of mere assertion, but is the evidence of gentlemen in England, who have known the dogs for many years. ‘“‘Sortiness” in setters is thus shown to be attainable only by a degree of inbreeding which is attended by depreciation of qualities more important than mere resemblance between individuals of the same breed. Good form is essential, because without it work cannot be kept up for any length of time, but when this form 116 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. is present, it matters not that even brothers do not resemble each other so closely that their relationship can be recognized at a glance. Having secured blood of approved quality, we must make sure of comect, form and feldiiqualities sor the highest order. Correct form is that typical of the breed, and is described by Stonehenge as laid down in a pre- vious chapter. Color, in my opinion, should be regarded only so far as to see that it belongs to the breed, simply as breeding stock for dogs of working ability, show limi- tations in color, may be discarded with benefit, since in seeking color, many of the best dogs of a breed are discarded because not marked to the show standard, but if a man wants show dogs as well as breeders, he must con- form to the standard in this respect also. For breeding stock, or in selecting a dog to which to send a fine bitch, nothing but the very best field quality should satisfy a man who cares at all for the reputation of his kennel. No matter how well bred a dog may be, nor how many prizes he has taken upon the bench, he should not be bred from if he is deficient in field qual- ity, as a portion, at least, of his progeny will inherit this, | as they would any other deficiency. What greater folly can there be than sending a fine field bitch toa dog that is not a fielder, yet this has been repeatedly done. / Some dogs which have been greatly sought after in the _ stud, have been utterly valueless in the field. They have | sired many good whelps from the prepotency of their own blood and the quality of the bitches, but they have “eee also sired a great many poor ones. The very best of dogs will occasionally beget a degenerate whelp, but a BREEDING. ay these dogs have begot more than occasional bad ones, and the only reason these have not been more conspic- uous is, that they have been scattered all over the country, and, as in all such cases, only the good ones are heard of. If the services of such a dog were confined to a given locality, so that the quality of his entire get was properly exposed, the number of his failures would satisfy the most sceptical, that he was unfit for stud use. A dog markedly deficient in physical attributes would not be bred from,—with what propriety, then, are the most valu- able qualities ignored ? A by no means unimportant point is the age at which stock animals begin to show their field qualities. Some dogs take to work much younger than others, and the former will be very apt to transmit their own precocity. Itistruea puppy should not be put into the field till he has strength and age to endure the strain without injury, but undeniably it is far more satisfactory to see him show promise of future goodness, than to wait months to know if he will pay for the trouble of raising him. As a bitch with ability to produce large litters is more valuable as a breeder than any other, the form best adapted for this should be regarded in selection. Form does not, however, necessarily indicate ability, as some notoriously large breeders have been bitches whose size and build were apparently greatly against them, but upon general principles a roomy, rangy body allows room for the foetus and predisposes the dam to easy delivery, better than a compact form and closely knit bones. Length must not, hovever, be carried so ——$_—____ 118 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. far as to produce slackness of loins, or there will be weak- ness at this point which will be transmitted. The question whether a bad first connection exerts influence upon subsequent progeny, is one upon which opinions differ. That it does in some cases would seem unquestionable, as marked instances of it have been noticed in all animals. In my opinion this depends upon the individual peculiarities of the dam, some females being both more susceptible to influences, and more retentive of them than others. No man can deter- mine in advance what their peculiarities will be, and consequently good sense dictates that we avoid possible bad results by selecting such a mate fora bitch in her first warding, as will not only produce a good litter from that union, but also will exert a desirable influence if any upon the later offspring. However the above question should be decided, I am a firm believer in parental influence, that is, influence exerted upon the progeny while in embryo by the dam. To what extent this can be carried I am not prepared to say, but not in my opinion commonly so far as the old time theory of marking goes. There are but few medical men of the day, who believe that the monstros- ities or peculiar phenomena sometimes exhibited by offspring, are due to special and definite causes, because investigation and experience has shown, that these are produced as natural sequences of defective nutrition of the fcetus, or habits of life, and it is more reasonable to account for such exhibitions upon natural grounds, than upon that of undemonstrable theory. It is possible that specially sensitive or susceptible bitches may upon BREEDING. 119 rare occasions, be impressed by circumstances rousing strong emotion, and stamp these impressions upon their progeny. I have seen a few cases that I could only account for in this way, but I believe such are excep- tional and cannot be taken as establishing a rule. The influence to which I refer affects the instinctive and not the physical attributes. I think early development of the love of hunting can be induced, and the field quali- ties of the progeny enhanced, by hunting the dam while pregnant. I have tried this repeatedly, and seen a marked difference in the whelps of the same parents in different litters, when the bitch was or was not hunted. I believe that the whelps of a bitch thus worked, are less liable to be gun shy or timid in the field, even if they are timid out of it, and that with even a high cour- aged bitch, if she is kept in seclusion, or left to lie round her kennel during pregnancy, her whelps will show less general courage, and be more easily made timid by bad management, than those of a bitch that, so to speak, is taken out into the world by her master. I cannot see anything unreasonable in this. Sporting dogs must have keen sensibilities and strongly developed field instincts, and it appears to me that by producing strong emotional excitement through the dam’s love for the field, at a time when her whelps are receiving from her the elements of their future life, this excitememt may be made to react upon them, and mould their character- isticsaccordingly. So, too, if a pregnant bitch is allowed to lead a dull lethagic existence, her whelps may very easily be influenced by this, and when brought face to face later with circumstances which rouse their fears, | I20 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. they may not have sufficient ambition to resist these, I am not alone in this belief, as I have compared views frequently with men of experience and judgment, and have found that where their attention has been directed to these points, their conclusions have coincided with my own. I therefore offer this theory with confidence to my readers, and believe it will be productive of much good to those who will accept and follow it. Another point upon which men differ is whether sex can be determined or controled in any way. Many theories have been advanced upon this, and it has re- ceived its full share of scientific investigation. To quote these theories would exceed the length of this article, so I will refer my readers to medical works, and simply say the conflict of opinions shows that no cer¢tazz method has yet been discovered, as all are dependent upon con- ditions which may or may not be present. That sex is in no way affected by the period of heat in which a bitch is served, I have, I think, conclusively proved. I have tested this theory in oxe hundred and thirty-two cases of bitches sent to my dogs, and have utterly failed to produce a preponderance of sex. Such an extensive test would seem to settle this point beyond dispute, and in any event is more worthy of credence than the evi- dence of individual instances where the desired sex has been apparently produced by certain action, yet may in truth have been due to entirely different though undis- covered circumstances. The age at which dogs can be bred from with due regard to the production of good offspring, depends entirely upon the individuals. It is purely a matter of OLED Re \ WN) Xy ; AWN Se IRISH SETTER BIZ. , (DAS FLORA.) BREEDING. 121 development, and as individuals vary in this to a marked degree, no time limit can be fixed. So, too, individuals retain their physical vigor longer than others, and may therefore be bred from at an age when others are incap- able of producing good progeny. As soon as full development has taken place, and as long as the physical powers are unimpaired, dogs may be bred from with impunity. Szze, however, must not be mistaken for development, as an abnormally large dog may be fully as weak and unfit to breed as an abnormally small one. It is not possible to give any fixed rule by which devel- opment can be determined, but it is safe to say that until growing has ceased, and the muscles have become full and hard, maturity has not been reached. Females arrive at maturity earlier than males, but as the burden of maternity is heavier than that imposed by the act of begetting, it is specially important that the female be fully established in her strength before being subjected to this strain. I do not design to consider in this work cases where any difficulty in parturition is encountered, because I do not believe any mere written directions will enable an. amateur to perform the necessary operations. Edward Mayhew, an English veterinary surgeon, gives an elabo- rate treatise upon this subject in his capital work on the dog, which I recommend for the perusal of all interested, yet in every case would advise calling in a competent practitioner rather than by a series of at best doubtful experiments peril the life of both dam and offspring. With a little care and attention to keeping the bitch in | proper condition while pregnant, Nature may well be e272 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. trusted to do the rest, and bring the whelps safely into the world. We will now consider the whelps born, and every- thing progressing favorably. It will be better now to allow the bitch as much freedom as possible, giving her the run of the yard, as there will be no danger of her leaving the whelps long enough to do them an injury, while the exercise and lack of constraint will be benefi- cial to herself. She should be fed twice a day while suckling her whelps, and the food should be ample and nutritious, but not profuse in quantity. It should be of a sloppy character, as this will tend to make milk and keep the bitch from becoming constipated. As a rule, no medicines will be needed, but if the fever runs high after whelping, single drop doses of fluid Ext. of Aconite voo¢ may be given every three hours in a little water, till the temperature is reduced to normal. If constipation sets in a small dose of castor oil will act beneficially. The number of whelps a bitch can take care of varies with individuals, and the only rule for guidance is the condition of both mother and offspring. If she grows thin it is evident the drain upon her is more than she can support. So, too, if some of the whelps stand still or fall off in condition, it is a sign they do not get enough food. In all litters there will be some whelps smaller than others, and if the supply of milk is not ample for all, these weaker ones will get pushed off, and will die of starvation. A very few hours will decide the fate of a young puppy. The first signs of depreciation will hard- ly be noticeable by ordinary observers, though they will BREEDING. 122 be detected by an experienced eye. There will be a slight roughness or staring of the coat; the white will have a golden or yellow tinge and there will be an un- usual prominence of the hip bones, and of the ribs. When these symptoms are noticed only prompt action will save the pup. He must be at once put with a fos- ter mother, and care must be taken to see that he sucks. In all cases where there are indications of a large litter a foster mother should be provided, as many complica- tions may arise where her services will be needed. As the full flow of milk comes generally about the third day, the foster mother should whelp three or four days before the one whose whelps she is to take. Any strong healthy bitch of good courage and habits will do for this purpose, but one not so endowed should not be selected for reasons I will give later. As all young whelps are liable to fleas and lice, the interior of the kennel should be thoroughly whitewashed with quick lime, and a sufficient quantity of carbolic acid. This should be occasionally renewed, and the whole place kept as clean and pure as possible. In case this fails to eradicate the vermin, Persian powder should be liberally blown into the hair of both the bitch and whelps with a powder gun. The place where the bitch lies should also be thoroughly dusted with the powder, and entirely new bedding supplied. No fear need be felt for bad effects upon the whelps, as the powder is pos- itively harmless, even if it should be taken into the stomach while suckling. At the end of four weeks the whelps may be fed a little with bread and milk; this will relieve the bitch, 124 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. besides weaning the whelps, which should be ready to leave the dam by the time they are six or seven weeks old. After weaning, their food should be o/d corn meal, well cooked, with a small quantity of meat scraps and vegetables boiled up in it, and, for a change, rice and bread. When, however, scraps from the table can be had, they are still better, provided all meat given is well cooked and in small quantities, mixed with plenty of vegetables and bread. As it sometimes happens that the bitch is required for field use shortly after weaning her whelps, it is cus- tomary to use some preparation for drying up her milk. There are many applications which will do this, but an effectual and safe one is camphorated sweet oil rubbed upon the udder twice a day. If there is much fever, aconite must be given as directed above. A great error into which inexperienced breeders fall is that of supposing that nothing can be done with whelps at a very early age, ‘On the contrary, very much ot their future usefulness and value is determined by their treatment, even before they leave the dam. Dogs, young and old, are imitative, and for this reason I have said a foster mother should be of ‘‘good courage and habits,” for though she cannot exert any influence upon the whelps through her milk, she certainly can by her ex- ample. A timid bitch that is dodging and running into her kennel at every noise will be apt to make some, if not all, of the whelps timid as herself, and very often this will take the form of gun shyness when the dog is taken into the field, later. So, too, if she has bad habits, such as running away from home, killing chickens or ————__——_______. BREEDING. 125 sucking eggs, she will teach these to her whelps if they are not taken from her as soon as they begin to run round. From the time the whelps are eight weeks old they should be allowed as much liberty as possible, and cer- tainly should be let out of the kennel every day, as by running at large, they become used to strange sights and sounds, and are thus saved from timidity. They should never be roughly treated or punished for any act at this age, but all should tend to inspire them with confidence and rouse their affection for those about them. -After a while, various noises may be made ata little distance from them, and these changed and increased as they become used to them, till at last, by degrees, they are brought up to hear the gun without fear. By encouraging them to climb upon boxes or other similar objects, they become handy in crossing fences and thus will be saved from the awkwardness which so many dogs display when first taken into the field. These may seem little things in themselves, but the man who tries them fairly will become satisfied that they exert no trifling or insignificant influence upon the subsequent career of the dog. lam) Oitenasked iiitrdoes any harm) to) allow a puppy to point by sight, and I say emphatically, no! up to the time he is taken into the field. A puppy can- not have too much point provided it is at living objects, and by indulgence in it, his field instincts are fostered and strengthened. When field work begins, a little care joined to the greater pleasure derived from game scent will correct the habit and teach him to point only the objects of legitimate pursuit. ae ea 126 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS. T the outstart of this chapter I wish it to be under- stood that I am writing for amateur breakers ov/y, and that I advise all sportsmen to break their own dogs rather than employ a professional. I do not say this from any personal prejudice against professional dog breakers, many of whom are very honorable men, but because I am thoroughly convinced, that ninety-nine men out of each hundred can, with a little experience, break their own dogs we//, and that they will really take more satisfaction with them, both while in breaking and afterwards, than they can with even the most perfectly broken animals, which, from being associated with and handled by other persons, must ever be to their owners ready-made articles, and not the work of their own hands. Again, I know that very frequently a dog which has been thoroughly broken by a professional (tutored to understand and obey every command, and to feel that he is constantly under the eye of one who will detect his most trivial disobedience) will, when he goes to a new master, deliberately do things which he knows to be wrong, apparently to see if he cannot impose upon him and have his own way; and if (as is too frequently the case) he finds that his master, either from inexperience or confidence in the breaking he has received, pays no | BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS. 3 7 attention to these acts, he soon abandons all regard for commands and follows the dictates of his inclination alone. This is really the reason why dogs which are broken by even good breakers so frequently fail to give satisfaction. The brutes are cunning, and appear to understand whether the command is given by a master who knows his business and means that they shall attend to theirs, or by one who is not certain he is correct in his order or indifferent as to its being obeyed. In cases where a sportsman breaks his own dogs, he wins from them an attachment which I doubt if he ever gains in any other way. I think it is an undeniable fact that a dog ever afterwards likes best to hunt the birds he is broken on, and upon the same principle his affec- tion goes forth to the person who initiates him into the pleasures of the field. The reason may be found in the fact that a dog has but limited intelligence, and is such an impressionable creature, that first lessons, first sym- pathies and first love are never entirely eradicated, but remain centered round the memory of the original prompter. It isa fact appreciated by sportsmen that no two men work and handle dogs exactly alike, so that, though the same words of command may be used, the dog hunts differently for different men. It may be said that it requires but a short time to change a dog’s attachment, and that he soon transfers his regard from an old toanew master. This is undoubtedly the case upon most points, but my experience has taught me that in a great majority of cases a dog will hunt better for the man who breaks him than for any subsequent master, and I have seen this carried to so great an ex- | 128 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. tent that in more than one case I have had dogs (which I have sold to friends) leave their masters and hunt for me whenever we happened to be in company. So, too, one of the first good dogs I ever owned, a fine red setter, bought from a shooting ‘friend, though she always hunted well for me when alone or in the company of others than her former master, as soon as she saw him near her in the bush she would leave me and work for | him inspite of command or punishment. I am fully sat- _ isfied that there is an impression made upon the animal by the first person who hunts him, which he seldom if ever forgets, even if all other ties are severed, and I claim this as a reason why each man should do his own breaking. There is also another benefit derived from this: it lies in the fact that the sportsman advances in knowl- edge, as his dog progresses in his instruction. In order to break well, a man must study his dog that he may apply the incentives of reward or punishment in just the degree to produce the desired result. By this study of the animal, the sportsman really educates himself, and con- sequently finds that after breaking one dog he has comparatively little trouble with those he undertakes later; and thus becomes independent of professional | assistance while at the same time he enjoys a rare pleas- ure, for next to watching the development of the human | mind, there is no more fascinating pursuit than teaching a high-couraged intelligent dog. Only those who have experienced it can appreciate the pleasure of seeing the faculties unfold under instruction while the affectionate instincts prompt the pupil to do his best and to delight abt a “ASOU—(‘631¢) OHOTH) “OWW ‘WALLAS HST! BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS. 129 in the approval of his teacher. This may be a very good theory, some of my readers will say, but we who are business men have no time for dog-breaking, even if we had the experience. This seems at first sight an insurmountable obstacle, but it vanishes before a single earnest trial, and the result is so satisfactory that the man never regrets the slight labor necessary to convert an intelligent young dog into an agreeable and useful companion in every-day life, and a first-class worker when in the field. Two-thirds of the trouble in breaking lies in antici- pation, that is, in the lack of confidence, on the part of those who have never undertaken this. In the first place it does not require any great sacrifice of time to give the dog all needful instruction out of field. A well bred, intelligent dog will learn in a very few lessons the rudi- ments of sporting education, namely, charging, stopping at the word, retrieving, quartering, and following at heel. The great point to be observed is frequency, not duration of the lesson, and a half-hour twice a day is better that two hours at a time. So much for the time necessary, and in regard to the experience, I beg to assure my readers that this is very easily acquired. I have known of many dogs broken by men who never before attempted it, that were under good control, and as reliable workers as any gentleman need desire. I do not pretend that all men can break equally well, but neither are all equally proficient in other matters. All can break we// if they will give their attention to it, and exercise the same common sense they would bring ere eee AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. to bear upon other undertakings. I propose now to give brief yet ample directions, by following which any man can break a dog provided he will keep ever in mind the watchwords: observation, patience, and perseverance. It is many years since I took my initiatory lessons, from one whom I have never yet seen surpassed in his control over dogs, and found that the secret of his success lay in his rare control over himself. Every year since then has impressed upon me two facts, first, that without self-control no man can ever break a dog well; and again, that no set of rules, no matter how carefully they may be arranged, will apply to all dogs, owing to the difference in dispositions. It is the power of comprehending and adapting himself to | different natures that makes one man a much better breaker than another; therefore the first point is to study and thoroughly understand the pupil as he changes and develops under breaking. Though the same rules will not apply to all cases, the same order of instruction may be observed, and I | believe that which I shall now offer the best for practical use. Undeniably it is easier to break an intelligent pup than it is to break an old dog with confirmed will and habits, but even this may be accomplished if the instructor is gifted with perfect patience, and will adapt himself to the character of his dog. In nature, the animal is like a child, possessed of a certain degree of reasoning power, and as readily recognizing a friend and master, Some dogs need to be encouraged, and a blow will awaken either fear or a determined obstinacy, which will require long effort to overcome. Others ie ae | BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS. need severity, and here the sharpest is the most merciful _ because less liable to need repetition. | Breaking is properly divided into yard and field, the former being preparatory to the latter. It is only pre- paratory, however, because no matter how well a dog will mind in the absence of game, as soon as he begins to take an interest in scent, he will develop an excitement under which he will be comparatively uncontrolable ; if, however, he has been well yard broken, field control will be easily obtained and be permanent. The import- ance of thoroughness in this preliminary breaking cannot, therefore, be overestimated. In my opinion, six months of age is the earliest at which education should begin, and then with only a well developed zgh couraged puppy, because in all cases some correction will be necessary, and if any timidity of disposition is present, correction will tend to make this permanent. Development I consider essential, because the physical and mental attributes, as a rule, keep pace together, and a puppy that lacks physical development will be very apt to be equally backward in comprehending instruction. The extreme point to which I would carry a puppy’s breaking before this age, is teaching him to come when called. It is inconvenient and provoking to be obliged _ to catch a puppy when he is wanted, and it is therefore ‘well enough to teach him to.obey thus far. Even this | is open to the objection that it must be taught by coax- ing, as force applied thus early will be very apt to induce fear. While I believe thoroughly in rewards when earned, Iam firmly convinced that force breaking is the only — Oo et — Io) bo | correct system. Sensationalists have repeatedly written of the beauty of seeing a dog take pleasure in obeying his master; of the cruelty of /forceng him, etc.; such men simply fail to comprehend the true meaning of the term “force.” It does not mean undue severity, and certainly not cruelty; it does not mean a suppression of the affec- tionate instincts of the pupil, but it simply means teaching him to do what he is ordered because he ts ordered, and not because it suits him to do it. It is only making the brute recognize the superiority of man, and his conse- quent right to command. Force applied with reason worthy of a man, controls yet does not inspire fear, (I mean, of course, with dogs which have passed the natural timidity of early puppyhood) and the control thus gained is permanent because absolute. It teaches the dog that he must obey whether inclined to do so or not, while the rewards conferred after obedience, quicken and develop that pleasure in serving which the anti-force men lay such stress upon. Aside from the practical ben- efits of force breaking, I honestly believe there is more sympathy and a closer connection between man anda dog thus broken, than exists in any instance under oppo- site systems. The dog that has never been taught to recognize a master, stands upon a footing of gzasz- equality which is not the natural condition of man and brute. He recognizes his independence the moment any uncongenial service is demanded, and refuses obe- dience ; if corrected for disobedience his temper is roused and he resists vigorously ; if he conquers he is ever after comparatively worthless because he has learned that he has only to resist to win, while on the other hand he can AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. | BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS. only be conquered by resort to the very force denounced, and application of this in a degree, far in excess of that needed in the first instance, and possibly productive of the worst results. It is folly for the apostles of the kindness system to say that a dog thus broken will always obey. I myself have seen many instances of rank diso- bedience and so have others; it is folly, too, to expect that a man will submit to disobedience by which his sport or the results of his skill as a shot are lost, and as long as such disobedience exists, and the natural passions of mankind prevail, this system may, at any time, and often does produce more severity and the ruin of more dogs, than any force could achieve. A force broken dog takes pleasure in obeying a recognized superior, and that superior feels a confidence in control which be- gets security and enhances the pleasures of the field. There is very seldom any clash of will, and if such comes it is overcome before passions are roused that would lead to serious rupture of existing relations, and thus man and dog maintain a condition of reciprocal services and rewards of the pleasantest possible char- acter. I am painting no highly colored picture, but only expressing the results of my own experience and that of others, which may become the experience of all who will test the force system in a manly, reasonable and thorough manner. It is very important that there be nothing to attract the dog’s attention during a lesson: for this reason the breaker should always be alone, and the first lessons given in a small yard or room from which escape is impossible, as many dogs try to run away, and if suc- aecieea gay e an aeea n a ae arer aer EM TOT a ave ey Mi eh a GE 134 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. cessful, cause a great deal of trouble by repeating the attempt whenever they know they are to be corrected. To nothing is the old injunction “ make haste slowly” more applicable than to breaking. Some dogs will, of course, learn more quickly than others, but with all, each lesson must be deeply impressed before a new one is begun, and all must be kept in mind by frequent re- hearsals. It is hard for an inexperienced breaker to go slow enough, and consequently he meets with as much difficulty chrouen his dog getting mixed up and confused | as he does ccnona hn hee is wanted in the first | instance. | Before regular instruction is begun, the puppy should be thoroughly chazz broken, as this will save all fear of | the check cord when it is needed later, and will also teach him to bear confinement. To this end a secure collar should be put on the youngster, and he be chained to the side of a close fence or building where he cannot wind himself up, and then left to fight the chain till he tires himself out and givesup. No matter how hard he struggles, or even if he bites the chain till the blood runs from his mouth, he should be left entirely alone till he gives up completely, then his master should ap- proach and with a few soothing words and caresses, | release him. If his master goes to him before he has given up he will be apt to associate him with the pun- ishment of the chain, and thus will be afraid when he comes to be led. For this reason he should never be dragged to the place where he is fastened, or in fact have any warning of what awaits him there. The next day he should be chained again, and so on till he submits BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS. 135 quietly and perfectly to restraint; then the master should take the chain in hand and teach him to lead, avoiding all roughness but showing him he must follow. Lugging or pulling on the chain should be corrected now, and thus the uncomfortable as well as undignified spectacle so often witnessed, of a man pulled along at the heels of a half-choked dog be avoided in the future. Not more than one quarter of our dogs are properly chain broken, as any one will discover who will watch the dogs going out for exercise at a show, and giving exhibitions of pulling power, which would render them invaluable to a Kamtchatka sledge driver. When chain broken, he should be taught to come to call, provided he has not already learned this. To teach this, take the dog into a yard and attach a light cord to his collar, then allow him to play about a few moments that he may forget he is under constraint. Next, take the cord in hand, give it a slight twitch with the com- mand, ‘‘come in.” If he does not obey, twitch him more sharply, and even pull him in hand over hand, repeating the command as he comes. When he reaches you, give him a few encouraging words, then take hold of the cord, give the command with a slight pull, and at the same time step backwards a few steps, making him follow and come up facing you. Teach him to come always in front, and he will do it when retrieving, and thus avoid the awkwardness of wheeling in behind or coming to the side, assome dogs do. Be sure to teach the come, in the most thorough manner, letting him know that he must obey, for if there is any doubt in his mind upon this point, he will be very apt to refuse or run away { | 136 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. when you have occasion to punish him later. This lesson is the first step in the direction of force, and the more absolutely it is taught the less will be the dog’s resistance in subsequent lessons. When the dog obeys the verbal command, substitute the whistle, using the cord with it at first and working him till he obeys the whistle as readily as the voice, It is well to have a special signal for come in, like ¢wo quick blasts, because when at field work, you want to attract your dog’s attention so as to send him in any direction, a single blast will do this, but some dogs if taught to come in at this signal will gallop heedlessly in, thinking that is what you want, and ignoring your efforts to wave them off. You will find that with practice the dog will understand whistle signals as readily as words or the | hand, in fact I have seen dogs so broken that no form of command but whistle blasts was used under any circumstances. The second lesson is following to heel. Take the dog up short on the cord, which should be held behind the back, and in the other hand a light twig. Step off with the command ‘to heel,” holding the dog back as well as possible, and tapping him on the nose whenever he attempts to pass, at the same time repeating the command. Teach him to follow close and promptly, not stopping to play by the way, or you will have to keep watch for him, while on the contrary, it is his duty to keep watch for you. When well grounded in this, substitute a backward wave of the hand in place of words. Lesson third is stopping at command. ‘Take the RUSSEL SAMIR IONS, BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS. 183 7 dog short by the cord, but so that he can run by your side. Walk off then say “to ho,” stop and check him at once by the cord, repressing by it, and by the word any attempt to move. Wait a few seconds, then say “go on,” advance with him and shortly repeat the pro- cess. Work him in this way till he will stop and advance promptly by your side, then throw a bit of bread a little way off, say “go on,” and let him eat it. Presently check him as he advances to the bread, and if—as he probably will—he turns back to you, advance to him, turn him in the right direction, and make him stop there. Work him at feeding time and upon every favorable occasion, increasing the length of the stop, moving about him and finally confirming him so thoroughly that you can go away and leave him. When you first go out of his sight, however, let it be some place where you can keep your eye on him, and check him promptly by the word, if he attempts to move. _ If he leaves his place, take him by the collar give him a slight shake with the question, ‘what sir?” drag him back a little roughly— but not sufficiently so to frighten him—and when you have got him to his place, check him sharply by the col- lar two or three times, repeating the command, then leave him there and when you want him call him by whistle. Whenever the dog performs well, reward him by an encouraging word and pat, and you will soon find he will try very hard to win this from you. The hand signal I use for the stop, is the raised hand. I am aware this is generally used as a command to drop, but I think it is more appropriate here. Men who teach their dogs to drop to shot and wing, use the stop but 138 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. little if any, but I deem it far the more useful and im- portant of the two, because it can not only be substituted for the drop, but is also applicable to many other cir- cumstances where the drop would be of nouse. A dog can be taught to stop to wing and shot, thus subserving every purpose of the drop, and by field trial rules in this country, one is rated as high as the other. In spring snipe shooting, when the water is cold, it is simply extra exposure to compel a dog to drop into it, and for other shooting, now that breach loaders are almost universally used, men load so quickly that a dog is no sooner down than he is ordered to rise and move on. In the old days of muzzle loaders the drop allowed a little chance for rest, but this can no longer be urged under present circumstances. The additional advantages of the stop are, that by it, staunchness can be confirmed, backing taught, chasing and shot breaking cured, and general control obtained. It very often happens in ruffed grouse shooting when the birds are wild, that the dog strikes a trail in a thick bad place where a shot cannot be ob- tained, but if he can be stopped so that the gun can go round, and then the dog moved on to order, he will point the bird if it lies or give a shot if it flushes wild. I do not know of any one point of breaking that is so generally useful, and I would as soon have a dog refuse to mind at all as unbroken in this respect. In teaching to stop to hand, manage to catch the dog’s eye, stop and raise the hand above the head with the palm to the front, at the same time giving the com- mand *‘to ho,” and dropping the hand after he has stopped. The command ‘go on,” should be enforced RE Oe Shee: BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS. 139 by a forward wave of the hand, which will soon be un- derstood as a signal to advance without the order. The raised hand is more appropriate here than for the drop, because signals should be as far as possible explanatory, of the orders they convey; and the one | use for the drop does this, while the raised hand from its natural lack of expression serves only as a cautionary signal, which is explained by the breaker stopping as he gives it. We next come to the charge or drop. To teach this, take the dog by your side and at the command “down” or drop—whichever you prefer—place your hand on his shoulders and push him down, placing him in comfort- able position with fore legs extended and head up. Hold him down a short time then say “up” and let him rise. Work him till he will drop readily and remain down while you walk away from him, step over him or do anything you please, then begin working him at a distance. It is probable that he will confound the drop and stop, if so, you must go to him and push him down, but not roughly as he is making a mistake, not disobey- ing. Do not attempt to combine practice in both drop and stop till the dog understands the drop perfectly. If you have done your duty in the previous lesson he knows the stop well, and though he will confuse the two at first, a little patience will show him the difference when the proper time comes. Many men teach their dogs to drop with their noses between their paws. I do not believe in this because it is only occasionally necessary, and at other times causes a needlessly constrained position. I use the drop very I4o AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. little in the field. If I have occasion to sit down or wish to go into a house, or for any similar purpose, the drop comes into play, but at such times it is more comfort- able for the dog to have his head free and does no harm. It occasionally happens, however, that the sportsman wishes to conceal his dog, as for example to get a shot at a flock of ducks, and it is therefore well to teach him to put his nose down at command. When, therefore, he charges well everywhere, drop him facing you, and at the command “close” push his nose down between his paws and hold it there till he gives up struggling. A few lessons of this kind will teach him what is wanted. The hand signal to drop should be given by raising the open hand as high as the face and bringing it down with an emphatic downward wave. For the close repeated waves of the hand this is expressive of the order, and hence I claim it is more appropriate than a sign which does not naturally express anything. So, too, for “up,” there should be an upward toss of the hand, though for field work the forward wave to go on answers the double purpose. You are now supposed to have your dog well grounded in four lessons, viz: to come in,—to heel,—to ho,—and the drop. Take him out now for exercise frequently and work him on all of these. If he drops at “to ho” go to him and with one hand on his collar and the other under his belly raise him gently to his feet, repeating the command and emphasizing it by a slight slap upon the belly. Do not pull him up, or order him “up” as this will only confuse him still more and thus frustrate your correction. Avoid all roughness and he will dis- cover his error, while harshness will only lead him to BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS. I4I repeat it through crouching in fear. The next lesson is valuable only because it promotes better action in the succeeding one, yet had better be taught separately, as that lesson, retrieving, is sufficient in itself. You will now, therefore, teach the dog to sit up that when retrieving he may deliver into hand. It would seem sufficient for the purpose that the dog brings to you and holds the object till taken from him, but high couraged dogs are impatient to be at work, and if allowed to stand will often move round or hold the head so low that it is necessary to stoop to receive the bird. Sitting up, correctly taught, prevents the first and saves you from the discomfort of the latter. Take the dog, therefore, by one hand under the jaw so as to hold his nose well up, and passing the other arm round the hind legs above the hocks force him into a sitting posi- tion with the command “sit up.” As soon as he will obey the command, practice him facing you and close enough for him to lay his head against your knee, which will give him the idea of always raising his nose. Pat and encourage him in this position, and he will soon come to creep as close to you as possible, thus making his reward the very means of teaching him what you want. We next come to retrieving, and this I emphatically say should be taught only by force. 1 will not attempt to give the why and wherefore of this now, as I have already shown it generally in the opening of this chapter, but will confine myself to asking my readers to give the system I shall now disclose, a fair, honest trial, and I am convinced the results will satisfy the most sceptical bet- ter than any argument. I42 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. During my connection with the sporting press, I have been repeatedly asked my method of teaching dogs to retrieve, but have always refused to answer this, be- cause the method I have used with unvarying success for the last ten years, was, when taught me, a secret known to but few and intended to be confined to these. I did not, therefore, give it in preparing the first edition of this book, but, as during this interval, the secret has leaked out, and though not generally known has become as one of its possessors wrote me, “an open secret,” [| see no reason why it should be longer withheld from the public, as it will prove of great value to all who break dogs. I therefore fully explained the system a short time since through the columns of the Amerzcan Field, from which I now reproduce it, changed only so far as to make it applicable to the present volume. “Many well-known professionals practice this method, and when once mastered, a man can, by its help, make any dog, young or old, of breeds used for retrieving or those which are most distantly removed from it, retrieve anything he has strength to bring, and do it without biting or injury of any kind. I have seen dogs, form- erly biters of game, and which by punishment for this vice had discontinued retrieving altogether, made in two weeks’ time tender-mouthed, prompt retrievers, and those who have attempted by ordinary practices to re- form such dogs, know well how difficult, if not hopeless, the task is. I have seen a bulldog and a greyhound thus taught to retrieve, and I firmly believe the dog does not live that cannot be thoroughly conquered by a man experienced in this method. I say experienced, } BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS. 143 because, though the matter is very simple, and by ob- serving the directions I shall presently give, a man can in his first trial make his dog a retriever, yet like every- thing else “practice makes perfect,” and judgment in application, which comes from experience, is necessary in unusual cases, and is beneficial in all. One great beauty of this method lies in its adapt- ability to dogs of the most opposite dispositions ; Whether timid or bold, the same process applies to all, only requiring judgment to grade the severity of treat- ment to the individual. It is essentially and absolutely a force system, and the dog which resists most is only more completely broken in the end. It conquers, yet it does not make cowardly or reluctant retrievers ; on the contrary, the dogs are as eager to retrieve as the best of those who have been coaxed and petted into bringing. I have tested it thoroughly, and there are many others who will endorse all I have said of the perfection and willingness of the retrievers broken in this way. Before I proceed to description, let me say one word of warning to those who may essay the practice. It is contained in the simple injunction: Keep your temper. I do not know of any point of breaking which requires more absolute command of the temper than this, because if a man becomes impatient or angry, he will be led into absolute cruelty to the dog, that will only frighten him into more obstinate resistance, entailing greater severity to conquer it, more time to efiect the end, and propor- tional discomfort if not discouragement to the man. I have known men lose their tempers in their first attempts, tire themselves completely out without succeed- 144 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. ing, and throw up the whole thing as a failure, yet later, when cooled by the advice of a friend, return to the method and succeed perfectly with the same pupils. Patience is also essential; one must not be in too great a hurry, especially in first attempts; under such circum- stances to ‘make haste slowly” is to make it most surely in the end. Again, some dogs will require more time than others, according to the difference in their dispo- sitions. Since I have practiced this method, indeed, since I have got to know it thoroughly, I have been from one day to two weeks breaking a dog to retrieve, but from my first attempt to this time I have not met with a single failure, nor need any man do so.” The dogs I like best to break by this method are those of one year and upwards, because they have by this time got wills of their own, and so when once con- quered, are conquered for good. Age, however, makes no difference, and I have used it with six months pups and with my Irish setter Rufus when five years old, with equal success. I have also broken with it, imported dogs, that had been broken abroad and of course never allowed to retrieve; in fact, neither age nor the peculli- arities of individuals, constitute any obstacle to the successful working of this system with a man of experi- ence, though each person will find dogs he likes better to handle than others, and for the reason given, my choice is as above. “Proceeding now to explanation, I say: take the dog into a small room where he cannot escape, the smaller the better, as he can run around a large one, and it is highly detrimental for him to even partially get away. ‘MOd NOICNVHO GNV LSAVA NOIANVHO i = SS Nye Ni eh | ane i BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS. 145 Prepare a roll of woolen cloth about four inches long and an inch and a half through, well sewn along the edge where it is rolled. I consider this the best of all things, because it is easy for the dog to get hold of it, | and at the same time, when tightly made, he cannot bite into it. With this in hand open the dog’s mouth, put the roll in, with the command “ pick it up,” keeping the | mouth shut for a few seconds. Repeat this several times, to give him an idea of the command and the action which he must perform at the command. Next take the roll in one hand, present it to the dog with the command, and as he does not notice it, catch him with the other hand by the nose and upper lip, twisting them upward and over with a sharp grip of the finger nails. This hurts him and causes him to cry out, then thrust the roll into his mouth, repeating the command, and | shut his jaws together. He will probably now try to throw the roll out: if so, hold his jaws and keep saying, “Pick it up.” The object in using this command only at this time is, that you desire to get into his mind the idea of taking the roll, not at present of holding it yet, you cannot let him throw it out, or he would constantly try to do so, thinking by this means to escape the pain you inflict. Now comes the tug of war, as the dog tries all means of escaping, even by attempting to bite. Never punish or even scold him for this, as it is only natural, but watch closely that he does not get hold of you, while you repeat the command, and twist quietly but determinedly. It is one of the most discouraging things for a dog to discover that his attempts to bite are un- successful, and treated with contempt. Keep your 146 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. temper, and perhaps for hours repeat the process, till, tired out and sore, the dog begins to yield, and soon opens his mouth far enough for a push to force the roll in. As soon as he yields thus far, reward him while he holds the roll, with an encouraging word and caress, and you will soon notice he begins to distinguish between obedience and refusal. Now if he attempts to throw out the roll, say “Hold,” while you press his jaws together, as, having impressed the first idea upon him, he is now ready for a second. As soon as you reach this point stop, after seeing him really open his mouth two or three times, to make sure it is an intentional act, not an accident. By this time both the dog and yourself are well tired, and his nose and your hand sore enough fora rest to be accept- able. Make it a point never to stop short of obedience, even if it takes all day to gain it, because the first atempt has aroused the dog’s resistance, and if you stop before you have conquered, he naturally thinks he has con- quered you, and consequently the next lesson, and possibly the next, will see no further advance, and the dog will be kept all the longer in pain; but if, on the other hand, you force him to obey you, you can start the second lesson with this advantage, and so make rapid progress. The next day, take the dog to the same place, because the accustomed surroundings remind him bene- ficially of past experiences. Speak kindly to him, and caress him till you are on good terms, then present the roll with the usual command, if he does not, as he prob- ably will not, obey, repeat the command sharply, and BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS. vali / upon second refusal apply the twist till he obeys promptly. Long before this the dog has crouched to the floor, so that the roll may be kept in the hand close to the floor, and as the dog gets to open his mouth the roll may be placed at his nose, and by a push of the finger sent into place ; very soon it may be put upon the floor, though it will still require to be pushed in, but still later the dog will reach for it himself. Never fail to reward each effort or yielding with encouragement, but never yield an inch yourself, and the dog will rec- ognize and appreciate this fully. When the pupil will pick up in front of him, place the roll a little on one side, then push his head round to it till you have shown him sufficiently what you want, and if he does not obey then give him the twist, working him in this manner till he will turn his head to either side at command. All this time of course you have impressed the “hold” upon him, and by now he will have learned to hold till you take the roll from him with the command “Give.” A dog properly broken to these commands will open and shut his teeth at the word as often as required.” Very possibly as soon as the dog begins to pick up he will do it with a savage snap, and attempt to bite the roll, which gives you a chance to teach him to be tender-mouthed, by taking him by the under jaw, while he holds the roll, and forcing your thumb under it, pressing sharply against the jaw bones at their junction in front, with the command “Carefully.” The dog never attempts to bite, and the pressure gives him to understand he must not shut his jaws too closely. If he does not 148 AMERICAN KENNEL AND .FIELD. attempt to bite the roll, still follow this plan later, as there is no present need of it. This gives a command of the dog, so that when he gets into the field, if he accidentally bites a wounded bird in catching it, (as the best dogs will sometimes do at first,) you can correct him in a way he will understand, yet not make him less ready or willing to retrieve, which the whip would do. When the dog picks up from the floor while crouched, get him up, walk him round, and while on his feet work him in the same way as before, never failing to punish refusal by the twist and to reward obedience by encour- agement. If the first part of the lesson has been well taught you will not meet with many refusals, though you may have to show him how to turn his head in the direction you hold the roll. Practice him till he will turn his head promptly, or raise or lower it to meet the hand, and finally drop the roll for him to pick up. To induce the latter you will probably have to stoop with him at first, and perhaps even have to help him a little in getting hold of it, but patience will be rewarded with success in all cases, but more or less speedy according to the intelligence and disposition of the individual. The next lesson is in bringing from a distance, and here force must be partially laid aside if a willing and efficient retriever is desired. It is true a dog can be forced to go in any direction he is sent, but no force can compel him Zo wse hts nose, and when it comes to finding a thing by scent, or to actual retrieving in the field, if he is not so broken ‘that he takes pleasure in his work, he will cunningly refuse to find the object or bird. The greater pleasure the dog finds in retrieving, the (6Fer) ‘ANOU—(‘¢gg) ‘xVq) "Peyxoh oHYM pue yoeIg (SS09) “Twrodas S=—=—_— S\ ot BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS. 149 harder he will work at it, which makes all the difference between a good and bad finder, when birds fall into inac- cessable places or run away, winged. In this lesson, therefore, encouragement and example both come into play. So after letting him see you throw the roll a short distance where it can be plainly seen, say, come, and advance with him to it, then make him pick up and walk back to your place, watching him and restraining any disposition to drop it, by the command “hold.” When you reach your place make him sit up and deliver into hand. Be careful to make him sit up always in delivering, and he will soon learn to do it without com- mand, When he will advance, seize an opportunity when he is facing you to throw the roll between you, then call him, and as he comes to it make him pick up and bring. If he goes by it, walk round it yourself at a short dis- tance but keeping it between you and work him till he obeys. Though you should reward every good perform- ance with pats and cheering words, you must not give the dog any idea that he is at play, therefore never run to an object or cheer the dog to it. Work quietly but firmly, and he will know you are commanding him even ~when you reward him. When the above is wed learned, throw the roll when the dog is not looking, but so it will be in sight, call him to you and advancing a few steps only, wave your hand in the direction and start him by the command “find it.” This is a general command but it is better to use it at first, because in time an intelligent dog can, by proper choice of orders, be taught to distinguish between objects named; the term bird or the order 150 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. “seek dead,” should therefore never be used except when a bird is to be found, and it is also better not to use any special order at first for simplicity’s sake. It will often happen, too, that after the dog has been taught to know and bring only the objects named, he may be wanted to find something the name of which he does not know, and here the general order “find it” is needed. It is, so to speak, the skeleton of all orders, and once learned, changes upon it can be made when required in more advanced education. In early practice in seeking, the roll should be thrown where the dog will see it, because he as yet knows nothing of hunting for it, and if forced to this will soon become discouraged. If he fails to find or manifests any disinclination to seek, go to him, pet hima bit, then give him the command and advance yourself, stooping and swinging your hand over the ground as if looking for something, repeating the command from time to time, and working up to the roll, which you will then make him carry to the place whence you started. This example will soon set him to hunting, and after he finds the roll readily when in sight, throw it where he can- not see it, but not too far. As he has now to find by scent, it is necessary that scent be imparted to the roll, and sufficient for most dogs can be given by carrying it in the pocket between lessons and holding it in the hand a few moments before use. Some dogs are, how- ever, either indifferent or timid in seeking, and for such a stronger scent is required, which may be imparted by rubbing the roll lightly with a piece of suet. Work the dog frequently in seeking. This is mos¢ BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS. I51 emportant, as upon the present practice depends his per- sistence in seeking in actual retrieving, which will save the loss of many a skulking bird. Throw the roll. therefore, into all sorts of places, and eventually place it on elevated objects or in the crotch of a tree, so that the dog will learn to use his nose in seeking. Do not let him leave off without finding, even if you have to help him by encouragement and working him up to it, Avoid the latter, however, as much as possible, or he will learn to depend upon you rather than his nose. When he retrieves the roll well substitute other things for it, and give the twist if he refuses. He will yield more and more quickly with each new object, and finally will retrieve a bird as promptly as anything else, but a bird should be the last thing he is tried with. Some time since I saw in the Amerzcan Field the query why field dogs will not retrieve birds of prey. I will say I have dogs in my kennel that will retrieve any bird of prey, and more than this, will bring a bat or a chimney swallow. Mr. G. A. Strong’s pointer, Pete, also broken by this method, will bring a pin stuck into the floor, or any object or bird he can lift, and it is simply a matter of practice with dogs so broken to make them bring whatever they are ordered to. There are some dogs, however, which are really afraid of a bird; with such, encouragement must be used, because though they can be forced to pick one up when found, this fear will induce them to blink or refuse to find in the field. A really timid dog should therefore be gradually accustomed to a bird, by tying a feather and later a wing to the roll. I have seen many dogs M2 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. which have been as nearly as possible utterly spoiled by _ harshness in retrieving, made good retrievers by this | system, and gradual approach by the wing. The more work a man gives his dog the better and more intelligent retriever he will have. He should, therefore, take him out for walks, and try-him in all ways, such as dropping a glove and showing him the other, saying “find my glove.” A hat, a handkerchief, pocketbook, or any article may be dropped or hidden, and the dog taught to know all and find them by name. He may also be taught to go into the house and find and bring what he is sent for, and may thus be made very useful apart from his proper work in the field. Dogs may be divided into three classes in point of disposition, viz., the high couraged, the timid, and the obstinate or sulky ones. The first are the easiest to break and the last the most difficult, yet the system con- quers all equally, only needing different application. To illustrate, I will say a high couraged dog makes a strong fight when the twist is applied, because his disposition prompts him to resent injury. If the breaker loses his temper the struggle degenerates into one of mere brute force. Quick tempered men are apt to treat such dogs with unnecessary severity, even resorting to blows if the dogs attempt to bite, which they naturally will. A blow should never be given under any circumstances, because it cannot avail to make the dog pick up, and so inflicts useless pain that only distracts his attention from the lesson, and prolongs the contest. Dogs of this dis- position are the ones most frequently pronounced unbreakable by inexperienced men, yet as I have said, ee VTITdLS NOIANVHOD % £ Shee, 2 1 5 ' 4 ‘< ' S Fx e \ y BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS. TS QO they are really the easiest. With such I apply the twist, keeping a sharp lookout that the dog does not get hold of my hand—and as I shall show later this is not easy for him to do—and if he attempts to snap I say quietly but ‘sternly, scakeMcanoy sir, but am) careful) not to withdraw my hand; a sudden withdrawal of the hand is of itself provocation to a dog to bite when roused, while the lack of fear displayed by the quiet word and contin- ued grasp overawe and subdue him. I have been bitten but twice in over twenty years and never once while applying this system, yet I have owned some dogs ready enough to use their teeth. High couraged dogs are the easiest to break because when they begin to give way they give up completely, if properly met. The moment I see the least disposition to open the mouth at the command “Pick it up,” I reward with encouraging words and hand caresses freely given. The disposition of the dog here comes to my aid, for such dogs are naturally inclined to serve their masters and are prompt to acknowledge kindness, consequently he almost imme- diately surrenders, and ever after respects the force which has compelled without abusing him. Of all dogs these high couraged ones make the best and most willing retrievers Timid dogs require very careful handling or they become so frightened they cause great trouble to both the breaker and themselves. Timid dogs are of two kinds, those afraid of everything, and those with plenty of general courage, but cowed by the least harshness. To break a dog of either kind a man must have good judgment, in that he must temper severity with encour- Leyal AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. agement from the first, yet in such proportion that his effort will in no wise degenerate into coaxing. In breaking a dog inclined to timidity, I allow some moments’ interval between my attempts at forcing, and employ these in petting and making friends with him. I also divest my manner of all severity though I apply the twist as sharply as in other cases, thus making the force prominent just when it should be, and keeping it out of sight when encouragement is needed. i ae with the uiley: disposition of a mule is the hardest and least satisfactory of all pupils, because even when conquered he never takes pleasure in serving but does everything as it were under protest. I have owned but few such brutes and those not for any length of time. I have never met with one in the Llewellin set- ters nor do I expect to, so that mention of such might be omitted here but for the fact that 1 wish to show this system applies to all dispositions. A sulky dog deserves nomercy. Ido not mean by this, the breaker should be cruel, for that is degrading to the man, but I do mean that force, pure and simple, sensibly applied, is the only argument such brutes will comprehend or yield to, therefore the twist should be given as severely as possible till the brute howls for mercy and submits absolutely. There is always a cur nature in such dogs, and they are as insensible to kindness as they are lack- ing in noble attributes. Breakers who have not had experience with this system must be careful not to confound dispositions, mistaking fair resistance or fear for sulks, A sulky dog generally betrays himself in other ways than this; he is seldom affectionate, meeting BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS. LS his master with indifference rather than with frankness and evident pleasure. This is not however always the case and such dogs are sometimes all right till the casws belli is given, when their true character appears. No rule for detection can be laid down, and all I can add 1s, watch carefully and do not form hasty conclusions. And now let me say a few words on this system as compared with others. I claim it the best because it 1s the easiest of application, and because it will conquer any dog, no matter what his disposition, without permanently cowing him as so many other force systems do. In the course of my long experience I have seen fully a dozen different force systems thoroughly tested, and have never met with any but this that did not sometimes fail, and also turn out more or less frequently sneaking, cowardly retrievers; dogs that took no pleasure in their work, but performed it with a backward glance of the eye as if expecting to be half killed, showing that they had experienced nothing but severity. Some years | since I thought the spike collar a sure force, and stated this publicly. I did this because as I could not then give the system I practiced to the public, I con: sidered the spike the next best available. I regret my mistake, which I based almost entirely upon the repre- sentations of spike advocates. If I had not been using the same system I now use I should have quickly discovered the failure of the spike, and thus saved myself the morti- fication of this retraction; as it is I can only say frankly Iwas wrong. I feel I am not wrong now, as I have tested my present system every year of the last ten, and have compared notes with others who use it. I sawa Ree ae 156 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. —— practitioner of the spike force fail utterly with two dogs. One worked round and round him as a pivot, the other hung back on the collar and refused to open his mouth till choked so he had to gasp for breath, and this he repeated till the breaker gave him up in despair after a three weeks’ trial; both these dogs were subsequently broken in less than a week by my system. I could name many other instances of failure, but will not occupy time in doing so, but will simply say, while the collar and cord have their legitimate uses, forcing to retrieve is not one of them, nor will they succeed in this except with dogs that yield to a very little coercion. Pulling a dog’s ears will make him open his mouth to cry out, and so will twisting his tail or paw, or thrash- ing him, all of which I have seen tried, sometimes succeeding, but more frequently failing. All of these, like the spike collar, are inoperative for one reason if for no other, viz; That by none of these methods does the breaker have control of the dog’s head so as to direct his motions. Ifa dog is hurt in any particular part of his body, his natural impulse is to turn toward that part and bite the assailant. With the spike collar the dog’s head swings loosely, and allowing the pain forces him to open his mouth, he is more likely to do it with an effort to take a piece out of the breaker’s leg than in a position that will permit of the roll being thrust in. So, too, pulling the ear prompts the dog to turn his head and snap, and in a majority of cases he will do this in a way that renders it impossible to give him the roll. There are dogs with the disposition of babies that will make no fight, but will simply cry out at the BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS. WS 7 least hurt. Such dogs can be broken by spike or ear, but I have seen others that would soon teach the breaker to let them alone, or would persistently resist. I have seen them do it, so I speak from knowledge, not suppo- sition or hearsay. To return now to my force system, I think -it easy to see it gives a command over the dog none of the other methods I have alluded to can. With his hand upon the dog’s nose the breaker can prevent his turning his head away from the roll, and as both hands are so near together they are available for instant service in case he attempts to bite. I never knew a breaker using any other system that was not frequently bitten, while I never knew one using this get hurt, unless inexperienced or exceptionally careless. No great exertion of strength is necessary with this system, and it is more easily applied than any other because the force is directed to the dog’s mouth. This is patent to all. I cannot, perhaps, actually prove it will conquer all dogs while other systems will not, but I can say from personal experience and that of others, I do not believe the dog lives that can resist it. Of course other equally effectual methods may exist, but I know that none of those I have mentioned are so, because I have seen them fail and the same dogs subsequently broken by this. I therefore offer it to my readers confident that if fairly and sensibly tested it wiJl be found thoroughly and invariably satisfactory. In discussing this system advocates of the coaxing method have denounced it as cruel. I wish, therefore, to say a brief word here upon this point. a 155 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. I admit it costs the dog sharp pain, but I do not think it cruel because, while teaching him to retrieve, I get a control over him which lessens his resistance to other points of breaking. I do not know of anything in the instruction of a field dog which has so general and widespread influence upon him as this, and when we con- sider the correction usually necessary in breaking, [ am confident any doubter will upon trial be convinced that the aggregate is lessened by the experience the dog gets in this single particular. Then too, the command gained here lasts all through life, thus reducing the chances of occasional rebellion which calls for punishment. I admit, what any man will find who tries this method that it cows a dog at first, but I claim, and can show it, as can others who use this plan, that dogs so broken are as cheerful, willing, and happy in retrieving as any dogs can be. I can show dogs thus broken that bring their birds at a gallop, with heads up, and sterns waving, as proud of the act as any dogs that can be produced ; yet be it remembered those same dogs will not cause the loss of a fine specimen by refusing to retrieve it, be it what it may. One thing more. Let me urge my readers not to attempt this breaking of their dogs in odds and ends of time, because when the dog’s resistance is roused it takes patience and time to overcome it, and if it is not over- come, but on the contrary the dog left while his temper is up, he naturally thinks he has gained his way, and will resist next time as strongly as ever. A dog can be broken in this way, but it takes far longer, causes him more pain, is more apt to cow him, and costs the breaker a mari BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS. 159 more labor. The first dog I broke by this system | spent six weeks on in periods of a few moments a day. The poor brute had a hard time of it; my patience was almost exhausted, and I came near being prosecuted for cruelty to animals. Now I conquer a dog in one lesson if he is not inclined to be timid. I always commence _ the lesson early in the morning, so that if need be I can give the whole day to it, and before I leave off I have __won'so far that the dog opens his mouth and makes an effort to seize the roll when ordered to pick itup. This is alla man should expect to do in one lesson, and he must be prepared for some resistance at the next trial, _ but if the first attempt has been carried far enough to _ compel submission, the later resistance will be a mere show quickly abandoned if promptly met. Let the les- son then be given in a systematic manner, in a place where the dog cannot escape, and with plenty of time at command. Let the breaker remember he is a man, not a passionate brute, that he is the superior of his pupil, and that he can make that superiority felt most quickly by maintaining an unruffied temper united to a steadfast persistence. With these and good common sense _ judgment, the dog does not live that can say no to him. | Since I gave this system to the public, I have been accused of inconsistency, and bitterly denounced by those pecuniarily interested in spike collars, and by personal enemies. From the former this might be expected, but the latter, though some of them have successfully prac- ticed the system, have been infiuenced by purely personal feeling to condemn it for the purpose of belittleing me Te my readers, I say in reply to these assaults, I have 160 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. | been a writer upon matters pertaining to the field from the first issues of the American Sportsman. No man has been more constantly before the public, and my articles will show whether or no I have honestly striven for the best interests of sportmanship at large, or for the advancement of personal ends. I have always tried to write consistently, but in the kindly attempt to aid those interested in the sale of spike collars, and others who as professional breakers used them, I, at a time when I could not give the system | used, made use of expressions which the very men I helped at their own solicitation, | now quote against me. Even in what I wrote then and | what I have written since, I claim that the declared inconsistency does not exist if my assertions are judged as I have a right to expect them to be, by the light of the explanation I have offered. To offset these attacks and denunciations I have the evidence of over an hundred sportsman in all parts of the country who have broken their dogs to be thorough retrievers by this system since I exposed it. It would have been far more satisfactory to me if these acknowledgments had been made public- | ly, not so much for the vindication of myself they would have afforded, as because they would have proved the system all I claim it to be, and thus would have won for it the confidence it deserves. Many gentlemen have; however, shrunk from taking part in the controversy, and to this is due the difference in numbers between those who have put their evidence on record and those who have written me privately. I have nothing to gain | by giving this system to the public.. If all the dogsin | the country should hereafter be broken by it, it would | | Sacaats Sig to) Te ea htt lee enero ee Oo EL ea Re oe Reh saat 0 ch One Ginnie Aa al AB i Moyen ; ay Were i av [TRISH WATER SPANIEL, COUNT BENDIGS. ee BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS. 161 not put one dollar into my pocket. I gain nothing in reputation by this exposure, since I have from the first declared I am in no way the originator of the system. I have a right to expect my readers will bear this in mind, and that it will have its proper influence upon their judgment of myself and the men who have tried to write me down. I do not ask that this system be accepted upon my evidence of its infallibility, but I do ask in the interests of those for whose benefit I exposed it, that it be given a fair trial and sustained or overthrown by what that trial shows its merits to be, and further, that those who try it will, at least privately, give their experience to their friends. Retrieving from water is a specialty for which with some dogs preliminary work is required. It can never be taught while the least fear of water remain, and the first thing, therefore, is to make the dog a good swimmer; generally the quickest way to do this, is by associating him with one that is fond of the water, but if this cannot be brought about or the example fails, other means must be resorted to. In such cases by no means throw the dog in. No greater folly is ever perpetrated, as it will not at best effect the desired result, and many have -been made permanently timid by such treatment. Take the dog to a stream deep enough to compel him to swim, and cross over yourself leaving him behind, then call him and urge him to follow. If he will not cross walk away as if leaving him, turning occasionally to call and urge him to come. Very few will resist this and with a little persistance the dog will learn to swim well, then i} | practice him with bits of chips, and finally a bird. 162 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. Accustom him to cross a stream at command, either to hunt upon the further side or retrieve from it. Throw a bird into reeds where he cannot see it—but let it be where you can reach it—then make him look it up and bring ; birds often fall in such places, and are lost if the dog does not understand hunting for them or is easily discouraged. Water spaniels are, of course, at home in the water, and only need to be taught to retrieve on land to do it equally well from the water. Nearly all setters also retain enough of their spaniel character to make good water dogs with practice, but pointers require more handling and patience. To teach a dog to quarter systematically, that is, so that all the ground is covered, is with most a difficult and slow operation. It must be taught in the field allowing the dog to range, then attracting his attention by the whistle, waving the hand in the direction oppo- site that he has gone, and turning yourself thus inducing him to follow diagonally across your path, making fresh turns at regular intervals and working him till he becomes confirmed in beating his ground right and left irrespect- ive of where you may be walking. With a brace of dogs both must be taught to quarter singly first, then when put together cast off one to the right the other to the left, so that when they turn inward their lines will cross in front of you. They must also be taught to work independently, that is, each one for himself, and not foliowing each other, or time will be wasted by both hunting the same ground leaving other unworked. It is rank heresy in these days when field trial rules rate quartering so high, to say a word against it, yet I -— BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS. 163 candidly believe there are many places where it is a detriment rather than a benefit. To be reliable the dog must quarter everywhere, or he will soon get to working according to his inclination, which is destructive to system. There are two places where systematic quarter- ing comes in play, viz: upon the prairies and the snipe bogs. In the former the extent of country permits it, and in the latter birds may lie anywhere. In quail shooting, the birds are found along the sides of stubbles and only seldom where the fields are small in the center, so that a dog by passing to leeward of a certain line can wind across the entire range where the birds will lie, and do this as thoroughly as if he quartered every inch, thus saving himself great exertion. A dog that is intel- ligent also learns by experience in the field the sort of places where birds will be found, and if left to himself will waste no time upon unlikely spots, but speed direct- ly to those where his search will probably be repaid, but if, on the other hand, he has been taught to quarter systematically, he goes back and forth over all the ground, good and bad, like a ship beating against a head wind, doing twice the work he need and of course tiring himself in proportion. I shot for three days a couple of years since with a friend who had a systematic quarterer, upon whose breaking he had spent many weeks and of which he was very proud. It was very preity to look at, but my dog which did not quarter with the same regularity, was not as fast, had no better nose, found about two-thirds of all the birds, simply because in the absence of special command she followed the dictates of her experience, and though going over Tee eH ss Sn a ie Ad) igloo ape ae AD 164 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. | less ground than her companion, she hunted that, where she knew the birds would be. In ruffed grouse and woodcock shooting, birds are found in the edges of cover bordering upon streams or woodlands, in small thickets or in ravines, and here systematic quartering is in my opinion useless if possible. I have killed great numbers of these birds in different States, and on all styles of ground. I have shot over spaniels, setters and pointers, dogs that quartered and dogs that did not, and I am firmly convinced that the most killing dog is the one whose instincts and intelli- gence are least trammeled by any system that prevents their free use in the way experience has taught him. This completes the lesson, taught outside of the field proper, and we have now to introduce the puppy to game. However well he may have been yard broken, you must now be prepared for more or less wildness and disobedience consequent upon a little hitherto unknown excitement» be not therefore hasty, or prone) to) deem his mistakes deserving of punishment, but be cool, firm and reasonable in your action and expectations. It is not well to take the gun out at first, because you may want both hands free, and again you may be led to think more of filling your bag than of breaking the dog, leave it at home then till the puppy is fairly steady, and you will find yourself repaid in the end. Some writers advise taking out an old dog to find for the puppy, but if birds are fairly plentiful I prefer leaving the old one at home and depending upon my own knowledge of places where to look to get the puppy BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS. 165 — ongame. Let him run aboutat pleasure, only restraining him so far that you can keep track of him, and as soon as you see evidences of the recent presence of game take him to them, and by stooping and appearing to search endeavor to get him to notice the scent. If he takes it up never mind if he is a bit eager at first, but talk to him soothingly so as to steady him if possible, but if he flushes and chases keep quiet, call him back as soon as you can, take him where the game rose, rate him a little with ‘careful sir” and to ho him on the scent. Do not keep him too long at to ho, as he knows the bird has gone, but work off to leeward of where you have marked it if able to do so, and try to so work him that he will get its scent, then check him all you can without harsh- ness and do your best to get him to point. Do not be discouraged by a few failures, and do not at first try any means of restraining him except words, but if you find him uncontrolable you must put a light check cord on him, and by its use make him go slower, cautioning him with the “careful sir” enforced by a slight pull. Some men advise allowing the pup to chase freely, and this I do not object to before actual field breaking begins, or even then if the dog is inclined to be at all listless and indifferent to game, as it will excite his interest in the birds, but with the majority of dogs, chasing at this point of education does no good, and only begets a desire which must be controlled, thus causing extra trouble. If then the dog shows interest in the search but flushes and chases. give him a sharp “to ho” the instant he starts, and if he does not obey put the cord on him and enforce the to ho by twitches more or less sharp as 166 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. demanded by his disposition and action. Here is where the value of the “to ho” is shown. The dog of course does not know he has done wrong in chasing, and if you attempt to correct this by rating him with the old time ‘ware chase” you have to teach him two lessons instead of one, viz: to understand the new command and to stop chasing, but knowing the ‘‘to ho,” by enforcing it you punish him for disobedience to something he already knows, and as soon as you get him to acknowledge his past teaching the chasing is corrected, If he is heedless and rash in working up the trail, “to ho” him as soon as you see he has it, and as often as needed as he follows it out. After stopping rate him, but not too sharply, with ‘careful sir,” then give him quietly the order to goon, and by your own manner and frequent checks endeavor to make him cautious. When he shows disposition to point, give him the “to ho” ina low impressive voice, but be careful as possi- ble to avoid pointing before he gets to the bird, as if he has to move on eventually he will, unless he is naturally extremely cautious, be apt to take up the habits of going in from point, When you see him come to point, remember that you have now the opportunity to impress that staunchness upon which his future value in the field depends, so keep him standing by the “to ho” as long as you can without tiring him, then flush the bird yourself, but if you have to advance before the dog to do this be careful that he does not break point and follow you. Use the ‘‘to ho” to stop him if he attempts this, and so make him keep his place till the bird is up and you return to him. If possible flush the bird by throw- | , BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS. 167 ing in a clod or similar object, because though the crash will be apt to excite the dog to dash in, you being | by his side can control him more readily than if in | advance. Having got him to point and corrected chasing, work him till nee is reliable in these respects. If you have been working in the open, take him into cover and teach him to go slow there with limited range at the command “steady.” This can be done by use of the check cord __ which may be trailed when you are not obliged to keep itin hand. Teach him to obey the hand bad whistle promptly and to go wherever he is sent by the hand. He may be disinclined to go into a thicket at first, if so do not try to force him but go in yourself making him follow if he will not advance. Example is very powerful with dogs, and a few lessons of this kind will cure him of his fear of the bush more effectually than any com- pulsion. Do not be in a hurry to finish with him, but advance by slow stages teaching carefully and thoroughly what you go over, and you will make better progress and have a more perfect dog in the end than you can by hasty work. When satisfied that you can gain nothing more by the above, take out the gun when you next go afield. | lam, of course, supposing that the dog is not in the least shy, for if he is so this must be cured before he is shot over for game. With evena high couraged dog do . not make too much noise at first; a single shot at a time is enough, as many dogs have been frightened by a sudden fusilade. | When the dog points try and kill the bird for him. | ple : ae | 168 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. If it falls in sight and especially if it is tumbling about keep your eye on the dog to prevent his breaking shot to retrieve. Wait till the bird is perfectly dead then work him up to it and make him retrieve it. Be very careful in this for unless you have accustomed him to a freshly killed bird, the strong scent and the blood may frighten him or induce him to bite it; it is therefore best to take it from him at once, and wait till he is more accustomed to such before letting him carry it. Never send a young dog to retrieve a winged bird, or one that is full of life, as the former will very likely induce him to break shot or chase, and the struggle of catching either will be apt to make him bite. It is far better to give the bird a second barrel, or even to let it go than run the risk of teaching the dog bad habits. As the dog gets more eager to retrieve he will be more apt than ever to break shot, so be on the lookout for this and check it promptly by the “to ho” or cord if the word does not suffice. Work the dog in keeping his place at charge or stop while you go away, even out of his sight and fire the gun. It often happens that you can get shots at ducks by crawling up to them, and a possible second chance may be lost by the dog rushing up from the place where you have left him. Lastly you must teach him to back another dog’s point. Take out nowa steady old dog that you need not pay attention to, and as soon as he comes to point bring the pup up so that he can see him, but not near enough to get the scent, as you do not want the pup to point but to back. Stop him with the “to ho” as soon as *NEWTHLV J—AANUVG NOIdNVH() YONNOD.O NVG “THINVdS MALVM HST WH SOSYHIIY— YN * ‘5. BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS. 169 you are certain he sees his companion, and keep him standing till the bird is flushed and killed. It is well to have a friend with you at first to do the shooting, so that you can remain by the pup, but if this cannot be done, you must keep your eye on him to see that he does not follow you as you advance, or break shot when you shoot. Even if steady when alone he will be apt to forget himself now, so be ready with the ‘to ho” if itis needed, and if he moves go back to him and lead him back to his place where to ho him with a slight shake. I prefer taking the pup out alone till ready for the backing lesson, because he will be apt either to show jealousy inducing him to rush up to the point, and thus making more trouble in backing, or he will simply follow the old dog about and depend upon him to find. Taught as above he will have learned to hunt for himself before he is brought into company, and will be under control, when subjected to the new excitement, so that whatever mistakes this may induce will be more easily corrected. In the above directions I have made no mention of the whzp. This is not because I do not believe in it at all, but because I think its use is too frequently resorted to; and that bad enough as this is in any case, it is especially so with a young dog. This is just the mis- take (and it is a great one) which many breakers make, especially if they are amateurs of but little experience. They seem to think that the only way to get an idea into a dog’s mind is to whip it in, just as the old time pedagogues considered the birch the best mental stimulant 170 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. a on the royal road to knowledge. Years ago I was no wiser than the rest; but fortunately both for myself and my dogs I soon learned that the whip was my worst enemy. While I used it I never had a well broken dog, and, more than this, I can say that I have never seen one thus broken which was not either cowed in spirit, or made a sulky, negligent worker.. The great secret of perfect breaking is to teach the dog that you are his master, and at the same time to so stimulate both his love for sport and his love for yourself that whether in or out of the field he is constantly studying your wants, and finding his greatest pleasure in ministering to them. A breaker need never expect to bring out a dog’s full capacity for good work if, instead of awakening his sympathy, he unreasonably and unmercifully thrashes him for every trivial fault, upon the principle of ‘showing him who is master.” Yet so tenacious are some men of their dignity that they assert it by lashing their dogs, and so are served, if served at all, with the heartless work of a slave rather than the cheerful service of a sympathizing friend. Colonel Hutchinson, in his able treatise on breaking strongly recommends the use of the check cord, and though satisfied that as a whole his system is much more complicated than it need be, years since I learned to agree with him in his opinion of the cord, and consider it now, for correction of certain faults by long odds more convenient and effectual than the whip. I have already explained how to use the cord, and now it only remains for me to show why I object to the whip in breaking young dogs, and to give cases when I deem it necessary. BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS. 1 F/M I object to the whip because at best there are few men cool enough to use it properly. It is too handy, and in a moment of passion the pup is so severely punish- ed that, instead of understanding that he has done wrong, he becomes frightened by the pain and the violent manner of his master, attempts to escape, and if successful is often ever after a confirmed runaway. Again, I am satisfied that it effects nothing which the cord used as I have directed will not do better and without any danger. I have seen many naturally fine young dogs utterly ruined by a single injudicious thrashing, and’~I have yet to note the first case where the cord has done harm. After a dog has been thoroughly broken, then the whip can be used to advantage in certain cases. In all instances of evidently willful disobedience I use the lash, and smartly too (since one good flogging is far more effectual than, and saves a dozen slight ones). At the same time I watch my dog critically, and never allow castigation to go beyond the limit of reasonable punish- ment, lest | awaken an angry, obstinate resistance to my will, that either induces sullenness or develops a sly cunning by which the dog tries to get his own way the moment he is at liberty. Before I let the dog go I talk to him, but more in the tone of warning than reproof, and finally send him off with a gravely spoken caution, and as soon as I see that he is trying to make up for his fault by good work, I encourage him by a pleasant, cheerful word that places us again upon our. ordinary sympathetic basis. I never go into the field with a broken dog without having my whip in my pocket, since, as I have said, cir- M2 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. cumstances may arise where it is really needed, but I frequently avoid its use for an entire season by what I deem only proper vigilance. By this I mean watching my dog carefully at all times, never taking my eye off him if it can be avoided. By such watchfulness I can tell the moment when he strikes a trail, and if he appears in the least careless or excited, I can by a word check him and prevent the commission of a graver fault deserving the lash. This gives me the control over my dog, since he soon learns that he is constantly under my eye, and that the slightest fault will be instantly detected. Such supervision is not difficult, as by practice it becomes so habitual as to be almost involuntary, and besides the advantage it gives in handling the dog, it keeps one constantly on the alert, and prevents his being surprised by a wild bird rising unexpectedly, and perhaps escaping unshot at. Breaking an old dog is, as may be imagined, a very different thing from handling a young whelp. The adult animal has a confirmed will, established habits, and skill in winning his own ends, all of which must be overcome by the breaker without ruining the dog either by over persuasion or severity. It is, indeed, a trial of human against brute will, and a contest of a higher with a lower nature; yet the latter is so supported by the peculiar difficulties of the task, that unless the breaker has great skill and experience at his command, he cannot hope for more than partial success in a majority of cases. This being the fact I advise all inexperienced sportsmen who may become possessed of old dogs valuable enough to warrant the expenditure of time and trouble necessary BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS. 72 for their breaking, to seek out thoroughly good breakers, and put the dogs into their hands rather than attempt to handle them personally. This will be far more satis- factory in the end to the sportsman himself, and will in all probability procure him a better broken dog than he could make unless the animal proved unusually tractable. There are but few dogs which are worth breaking after they arrive at maturity. Occasionally a dog is imported for stock purposes before he has passed through the breaker’s hands, and as his usefulness will be greatly enhanced and (I think) his value as a stock getter increased by breaking, his owner will be fully justified in having this done. Should he determine to attempt it himself, he will find the directions I have given for young dogs equally applicable in most cases to old ones, but naturally requiring far more time and patience, with proportional judgment and self control, since he will not have an impressionable nature free from confirmed ideas to deal with, but one that has become willful and strong from lack of proper control by a master. Though old dogs must be yard broken by the same course as younger ones, yet when they come to field work they are often so headstrong they need sharper treatment, and nothing in such cases equals the spzhe collar. Made as I shall presently direct, this will check the most persistent shot breaker or chaser, whether the habit be newly acquired or sonfirmed by past bad hand- ling, and will also compel the dog to give up a wild range and disregard of the whistle. Such faults are not, however, easily corrected, and will only yield to patience and determined will. Even when the dog performs well i 174 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. with the collar, he will frequently resume his bad practices the moment it is removed, and months may be required before he will abandon them finally. I am satisfied, however, that every dog capable of being broken at all, can be made to yield to this backed by intelligent appli- cation. Inthe first edition of this book I recommended mechanical appliances to correct wide range, but since then I have become satisfied that the spike collar will do the same work and more quickly. So that I have no hesitation in saying a dog which cannot be broken by the course I have given, supplemented by the spike collar, is practically unbreakable and will not repay time spent upon him. One of the best forms of spike collar I have used is made by stringing upon a flat narrow strap wooden balls an inch and a quarter in diameter, till there are enough to reach nearly round the neck, the slits being so cut that the strap will prevent turning. The inside of the balls must be thickly set with short s¢ow¢ wires, projecting a quarter of an inch, and the ends of the strap fastened to rings an inch in diameter, first passing one end through a ring so as to make a noose. Holes should be made between the inside ring and the balls, so that the severity of the punishment can be graded by inserting a bit of wire long enough to prevent the ring passing over it. This will modify the chokzng power of the collar though not of the spikes. In order that the dog may trail the cord yet not be hurt by the spikes except when this is intended, a plain collar should be put on between this and the dog’s head, and a loop of the check cord fastened to it by a string — BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS. 5 strong enough to pull the cord, but not too strong to be broken by a sharp jerk when the spikes are needed. This collar may be used very severely at first, and later may be made simply a choke by turning the smooth | side of the balls to the neck. At its utmost severity it is not so bad for the dog as repeated thrashings, and is _ much easier in application for the breaker. | With an old dog that is a shot-breaker, I use the spil es, and a pin at the end of my cord to push into the ground. The pin is very essential, as it allows me to devote my attention to the birds, without risk of having _ my aim spoiled by the jerk as the dog reaches the end of his tether. In using it, I walk fairly up to my dog’s point, if the birds lie; then push the pin into the ground, and put my heel on it. If the birds rise wild, | drop the pin instantly, and step on the cord close to it. Care must, however, be taken that the forward foot is placed on the cord, as otherwise an awkward and heavy fall may result if the dog isa strong one. With an old shot- breaker, I pull him in hand over hand roughly, till he reaches the exact spot where he bolted; then make him ‘to ho,” and rate him soundly with several jerks of the cord, proportional to the amount of punishment he has already received, and the manner in which he submits to it. I also make him remain at ‘‘to ho” for from five to ten minutes, going myself to the place where I stood when the birds rose, but holding the cord in my hand, and jerking it slightly with the command ‘to ho,” if he attempts to move. I then call him in to me, and caution him quietly, but make friends with him partially before moving forward to where the 176 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. bird has fallen, if I have killed. With a confirmed shot- breaker, or a dog that will chase the moment a bird rises, it is better not to fire at all, but devote the entire opportunity to discipline till the dog begins to give up. Some dogs, however, will not bolt unless they see a bird fall, and with such it is necessary to kill in order to give alesson. It is useless, ina majority of cases, to give one lesson and then go home for the day; several les- sons in quick succession will be more effectual than double the number at long intervals and it is better to make a day’s work of it, even if the dog submits entirely after one or two experiences, since the subsequent work accustoms him to the new order of things, and thus frequently effects a complete cure at the first trial. Some breakers shoot their dogs with small shot for breaking shot and wild ranging; this has even been advocated by some whose experience in the field consti- tutes them authorities, but this practice cannot be too strongly reprobated, as both brutal and senseless. | have seen it done in a number of cases, and never yet have known of its doing good, while, on the contrary, I have seen several dogs made gun-shy, two ruined in appearance by having their tails broken, and one killed outright. By the means I have described I think I can break any dog capable of being educated, and make him a better animal than can be turned out by any advocate of the shooting theory. One point I have not touched upon, viz: curing a dog of biting birds. I have found but one plan effectual for this, and that is by running wires through a bird so that they will lie just under the skin on both sides, aw y ON \\ Y SAN" BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS. ALG). Throw this when you shoot and let the dog attempt to retrieve it. If he sets his teeth into it he will drop it in ‘an instant, then go to him, put the bird in his mouth, and shut his jaws upon it driving the wires well into him with the command “carefully sir.” One or two experiences of this kind will make the dog gwet retreeving unless broken by force, then rebreak him by the system I have given and you will have no more trouble. A dog that has been forced to retrieve can be made to bring the wired bird till cured. If he gets cunning and though he bites birds killed, will still not touch the wired one, put the latter in his mouth every time till he stops retrieving, then proceed as above. A dog broken by the system I advocate will never become a biter except by gross mismanagement, but one and all can be cured by persistent and intelligent application of the wires, even if he resists the pressure of the thumb upon the lower jaw which I have mentioned. The whip is useless in such cases, because the dog must be shown his fault to understand for what he is corrected. The wires do this but the whip cannot, hence the one is good and the other bad. ; It is a general complaint that dogs get headstrong during the close season, and are rank when first taken out, sportsmen must, therefore, either control their dogs between seasons, or avail themselves of some means of rebreaking them quickly when needed; the cord and plain collar will do this in half an hour if properly used, or if the animal is but slightly rank, a stout rubber band about an inch wide may be put upon one hind leg just above the hock, so as to confine the cord of theleg. The 178 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. restraint is soon recognized, and ordinarily submitted to im a’ very short time. It is best to keep dogs in breaking by attention at all times, but if by any circum- stance you are compelled to neglect them for a while, and you find that they are wild when you go into the field, use your cord promptly, and with proper judgment and patience you will soon have them under better subjection than if you take it out of them in any other way. I have been often asked what birds I consider the best to break a dog on, and I unhesitatingly say English snipe, in the fall. Next to the snipe I prefer fall cock. The first I deem best because the dog naturally acquires the habit of carrying his nose up in order to wind his birds, and he isalso all the time within plain sight. Fall cock are also good because a dog learns caution in approaching his game, as well as to stand it afar off for fear of flushing. For the same reason ruffed grouse are admirable, though from their wildness I do not advocate putting a dog to work on them till he has had some experience. For a well-trained and experienced dog, I deem this grouse the gamest bird that flies, and though I frequently hear loud complaints about his not lying to point, I have as a rule found no trouble on that score, provided both I and my dogs did our part, Least of all, to work a young dog on, do I like the quail; in the first place his scent is so strong when emitted that it seldoms puzzles the dog, and he can race up to his birds without caution; next, when withholding his scent (and whether voluntary or not he does withhold it), he lies so like a stone that the best old dog cannot find a BREAKING YOUNG AND.OLD DOGS. 179 —— him at all, and a young one is very likely to become discouraged. I most emphatically say that I never saw a quail- hielo dog that was as good on grouse, snipe or cock, as a dog broken on either of he others. I am fully snaeiied | that an inferior dog can hunt quail well and I know that it takes a superior one to do good work on the other birds I have named. I have shot nearly all of the game birds in most of their haunts, and looking back upon years of experience, I rank them in game qualities, for a well broken dog and crack shot, in the following order, viz: ruffed grouse, fall cock, English snipe, pinnated grouse, and quail. When I first expressed this opinion, I brought a hornet’s nest about my ears; yet I cared not, then or now, for I am writing from honest conviction and years of work in the _ field, during which time I have tested these birds fairly, and now give honor where I know honor is due. 180 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. Gra PER Vit: DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. T the outset of this chapter I wish it, distinctly understood, I lay no claim to medical knowledge in the true sense of the word. I have, however, owned dogs for many years, and at different times have had them suffer from all the forms of disease I shall presently mention, so that in caring for them I have picked up certain rough ideas of treatment which I shall give, but as I recognize my own deficiencies, I shall use liberal extracts from what I deem the best works upon canine diseases, in preference to confining myself to my own experience. Again I do not advise any one not possess- ed of knowledge of drugs, their properties and effects, to attempt treatment of severe cases, but instead to call in the services of a competent veterinarian or human practitioner, as greatly increasing the chances of saving life, and avoiding those sequents to certain ills which destroy the usefulness of the animal if he lives. Not inconsistent with the above is the conviction that every kennel owner should understand as thorough- ly as possible the nature and treatment of the diseases most common, and consequently most likely to attack his dogs, because with even the most competent advice, fully as much depends upon good nursing as upon proper prescriptions, and to be a good nurse one must have DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. I (oe) fo! > knowledge to detect and meet the changes which occur in the development of all cases. Every kennel owner should therefore provide himself with the works which treat of canine diseases as a specialty, and in addition should read other medical works whenever possible. I have found “The Dog” by Mayhew, and “ The Dog in Health and Disease” by “Stonehenge,” among the best of thisclass. The former has been very sharply criticised by veterinarians as incorrect in physiological matters, but however this may be, it certainly contains clear statements of symptoms, and well devised directions for treatment, which justify me in quoting from it in the present connection. I shall not pretend at this time to discuss any but the most common ills, because to write of all would re- quire a volume of itself and demand the labor of a skilled practitioner. The present work would be incomplete, if I passed over so important a matter entirely, so I shall offer in brief words what my reading and experience have taught me. Upon one point let me say a word of warning, viz: do not place any confidence in the “sure cures” men- tioned by correspondents in the sporting journals or passed from person to person. Medical science recog- nizes no specific for any disease, and what may cure one case may be wholly inoperative in another. Cases present great variety of symptoms, and some diseases like distemper, may attack either of several parts of the system, so that it must be apparent no single cause will be effective, but the treatment must vary with the exhi- bitions. The fact that certain remedies have the same 182 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. action in all cases, does not invalidate what I have written, because that action may be good in one instance and the worst possible in another; aconite is highly useful in fever, reducing it by depressing the heart's feeble, it certainly cannot be productive of good, to lower it still more. The same principle applies to other instances, and intelligent treatment can only be based upon adaption to peculiar demands. DistemMPER.—First and most prominent in the list of canine diseases, both from its prevalence and deadly char- acter, I place distemper. Nota year passes without a visitation from this destroyer, which appears ever to seek shining marks for his shafts, and culls from our kennels their brightest ornaments. Here again we see how Nature provides for those who depend upon her alone; for among the wretched curs of the street, unowned and uncared for, this disease is comparatively | but little known, and even when it makes its appearance it generally assumes its mildest form, and the sufferer quickly recovers. Not so, however, with the representa- tive of blue blood, for he pays the penalty of his high breeding by an acuteness of suffering which too frequently either destroys him at once, or leaves him a victim to some incurable and distressing malady. Authorities differ both as to the exact nature of this disease, and the chances for its being successfully treated. Laverack describes it as “a blood poison, proceeding from the peculiar state of the atmosphere, for I have known it to break out virulently in England and Scotland at the same period;” while Mayhew declares that “In { i action, but if the system is reduced and the heart action” DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 183 its character, distemper approaches very near to ‘con- tinued fever’ in the human subject; the chief difference being consequent upon the more delicate constitution and more irritable temperament of the dog, which’ prevents the two diseases from appearing exactly the same. It consists in a general fever, which produces a morbid excitement of all the mucous membranes. The digestive track is the principle seat of the disease, but of course its presence is most easily recognized at those parts which are most exposed to view. . . . It essen- tially is fever affecting the entire of the mucous surfaces, but especially those of the alimentary canal.” . | Laverack says of it: “1 am certain in my own mind there is no known cure ;” but here again Mayhew differs from him, for he says: ‘In my conviction, the disorder is feared only because it is not understood, and is ren- dered worse by the injudicious attempts to relieve it. I find it tractable, easily mastered, and when submitted to me before the system is exhausted, I am very seldom disappointed by the result of my treatment. It has for some time been my custom to tell those who bring me an animal affected with this complaint, that if my direc- tions are strictly followed the creature ‘shall not die.’ When saying this, I pretend not to have life or death at my command,and the mildest affections will sometimes terminate fatally ; but I merely mean to imply that when proper measures are adopted, distemper is less likely to destroy than the majority of those diseases to which the dog is liable.” | Upon the symptoms denoting this disease and their development, Mayhew also writes: “The symptoms in 184 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. { the very early stage are not well marked, or by any means distinguished for their regularity. They may assume almost any form; dullness and loss of appetite, purging, or vomiting, are very frequently the first indi- cations. The more than usual moisture of the eyes, and a short cough, are often the earliest signs that attract attention. When the disease is established, the animal is sensitive to cold. It seeks warmth, and is constantly shivering; when taken hold of, it is felt to tremble violently, so much so that the pulse cannot be accurately counted. The bowels are generally constipated. A thick purulent discharge flows from the eyes; and the white around the eye, if the upper lid be retracted, will be seen covered with numerous small and bright red vessels, giving to the part the appearance of acute inflammation. The vessels now spoken of are not to be confounded with the veins which are natural to this organ. These last are large, and of a purple hue, while | their course is in the direction of the circumference of the cornea. The small vessels, indicative of distemper, are fine, bright in color, and their course is towards the | center, or in a line directly the opposite to that indicated by the veins. They are never present during health, though they are often to be witnessed in other diseases besides that which is here treated of. A glairy mucus, or yellow fluid, moistens the nostrils; and if the ear be ap- plied to the head, the breathing will be discovered to be accompanied with an unusual sound. The cough is often severe and frequent; it is sometimes spasmodic—the fits being almost convulsive, and terminating with the ejection of a small quantity of yellow, frothy liquid, a. wr DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 185 which is thrown off by the stomach. The digestion is always impaired, and sickness is not unusual; the matter vomited having an offensive smell, and never being again consumed by the animal as is generally the case when the creature is in health. The nose is dry and harsh; the coat staring and devoid of gloss; the skin hotter than is customary, andthe paws warm. The pulse is perhaps quicker by twenty beats than during the prior stage, but less full—the artery feeling sharp, short and thin under the finger. The treatment is rendered the more difficult because of the insidious nature of the dis- order, and the uncertain character of its symptoms ; under such circumstances, it is no easy task to make perfectly clear those instructions I am about to give. I am in possession of no specific; I do not pretend to teach how to conjure; I am going to lay down certain rules which, if judiciously applied, will tend to take from this disease that fatal reputation which it has hitherto acquired. “The diet is of all importance; it must be strictly attended to. In the first place, meat or flesh must be withheld. Boiled rice, with a little broth from which the fat has been removed, may be the food of a weakly ‘animal, but forthe majority bread and milk will be suf- ficient; whichever is employed must be given perfectly cold. Sugar, butter, sweet biscuit, meat, gravy, greens, tea or pot liquor—either luxuries or trash—must be scrupulously denied in any quantity, however small. Skim-milk, if perfectly sweet, is to be preferred, and coarse bread or ship biscuits are better than the same articles of a finer quality. These will form the diet, 186 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. | when the dog can be brought to accept them. If, after a few trials, the dog stubbornly refuses such provender, meat must of necessity be given, but it should be of the very best description, and rather underdone. Of this kind it ought to be minced, and mixed with so much rice or ship biscuit as the animal can at first be made to eat with it ; the rice or biscuit may then be gradually increas- ed; and in the end the vegetable substance will constitute, | at all events, the major part of the support. Water constantly changed—a circumstance too little attended to where dogs are concerned—must be the only drink; the bed must be warm and dry, but airy. Cleanliness cannot be carried to too nice an extent; here the most fastidious attention is not out of place. Let the kennel be daily cleared, and the bed regularly changed at least thrice a week. The sensations being the only guide, it is best to leave the dog, as much as possible, capable | of obeying its instinct; but always let the bed be | ample, as during the night the shivering generally pre- _ vails, and the cold fit is entirely independent of the heat | to be felt at the skin, or the temperature of the season. Let the dog be kept away from the fire, for if permitted it will creep to the hearth, and may be injured by the falling cinders, when the burn will not perhaps readily heal. A cold or rather cool place is to be selected—one protected from wet, free from damp, and notexposed to wind or draughts. The kennel, if properly constructed, is the better house, for dogs do best in the open air. ‘Medical measures are not to be so quickly settled. A constant change of the agents employed will be imper- ative, and the practitioner must be prepared to meet [eh A ene A Oo ees) DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 187 every symptom as it appears. The treatment is almost wholly regulated by the symptoms, and as the last are various, of course the mode of vanquishing them cannot be uniform. To guide us, however, there is the well- known fact that the disease we have to subdue is of a febrile kind and has a tendency to assume a typhoid character; therefore whatever is done must be’ of a description not likely to exhaust—depletion is altogether out of the question. The object we have to keep in view is the support of nature, and the husbanding of those powers which the malady is certain to prey upon; in proportion as this is done, so will be the issue. In the very early stage purgatives or emetics are admissible. If a dog is brought to me with reddened eyes, but no discharge, and the owner does no more with regard to the animal than complain of dullness, a want of appetite, and a desire to creep to the warmth, then I give a mild emetic; and this I repeat for three successive mornings, on the fourth day administering a gentle purge. Tartar emetic solution and purgative pills 1 employ for these purposes, in preference to castor oil or ipecacuanha, and during the same time I prescribe the following pills : Ext. belladonna, six to twenty-four grains. Nitre, one to four scruples. Ext. of gentian, one to four drachms. Powered quassia, a sufficiency. Make into twenty-four pills, and give three daily; choosing the lowest amount specified, or the intermediate quantities, according to the size of the animal. “Often under this treatment the disease will appear to be suddenly cut short. With the action of the purga- 188 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. tive, or even before it has acted, all the symptoms will disappear, and nothing remains which seems to say any further treatment is required. I never rest here, for experience has taught me that these appearances are deceptive, and the disorder has a disposition to return. Consequently strict injunctions are given as to diet, and a course of tonics is adopted : Disulphate of quinine, one to four scruples. Sulphate of iron, one to four scruples. Extract of gentian, two to eight drachms. Powered quassia, a sufficiency. ‘‘Make into twenty pills, and give three daily. ‘““At the same time I give liquor arsenicalis, which I prepare not exactly as is directed to be made by the London pharmacopceia, but after the following method ; “Take any quantity of arsenious acid, and adding to it as much distilled water as will constitute one ounce of the fluid to every four grains of the substance, put the two into a glass vessel. To these put a quantity of carbon- ate of potash equal to that of the acid, and let the whole boil until the liguid is perfectly clear. The strength is the same as the preparation usedin human practice; the only difference is, the coloring and flavoring ingredients are omitted, because they render the medicine distaste- ful to the dog, The dose for the dog is from one drop to three drops, it may be carried higher, but should not be used in greater strength when a tonic or febrifuge effect only is desired. “Of the liquor arsenicalis I take ten to twenty drops, and adding one ounce of distilled water, mingled with a little simple syrup, I order a teaspoonful to be given DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 189 thrice daily with the pills, or in a little milk, or in any fluid the creature is fond of. The taste being pleasant, the dog does not object to this physic, and it is of all importance that it should be annoyed at this time as | little as may be possible. | “Numerous are the cases which have thus been _ shortened by this method: and the advantage gained by this mode of treatment is, that if the measures employed be not absolutely necessary, they do no harm, and if required, they are those which calculate to miti- gate the disease; so for three or four weeks, I pursue this course, and should all then appear well, I dismiss the case. | ‘When the lungs are affected the following pill should be given every hour, provided the dog does not | resist, taking care to keep the diet both low and small: Extract of belladonna, a quarter grain to one grain. Nitre, one to four grains. | James’s powder, a quarter grain to one grain. Conserve of roses, a sufficiency. “With these a very little of the tincture of aconite may be also blended, not more than one drop to four pills. The tonics ought during the time to be discon- tinued. So soon as a marked change is observed, the tonic treatment must be resumed, nor need we wait until all signs of chest affection have disappeared.” “Tf the dog refuses to take these pills each hour, give the following, made into one pill, three times each day: Extract of belladonna, one to four grains. Nitre, three to eight grains. James’s powder, one to four grains, Conserve of roses, sufficiency. Ig0 _ AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. ———— — “When signs indicative of approaching fits are re- marked, small doses of mercury and ipecacuanha should be administered. Grey powder, five grains to one scruple. Ipecacuanha, one to four grains. “Give the above thrice daily; but if it produces sickness, let the quantity at the next dose be one-half. «The treatment of distemper consists in avoiding all and everything which can debilitate; it is, simply, strengthening by medicine aided by good nursing. The treatment during convalescence is by no means to be despised, for here we have to restore the strength, and, while we do so, to guard against a relapse, One cir- cumstance must not be lost sight of, namely, that nature is, after the disease has spent its violence, always anxious to repair the damage it may have inflicted. Bearing this in mind, much of our labor will be lightened, and more than ever shall we be satisfied to play second in the business. The less we do the better; but, nevertheless, there remains something which will not let us continue perfectly idle.” “Stonehenge” divides distemper into five varieties,- viz: ‘‘1, Mild distemper; 2, Head distemper; 3, Chest distemper; 4, Belly distemper, and 5, Malignant dis- temper.” The first is, as its name indicates, a mild form of the disease from which the patient usually recovers without trouble. The last is an aggravated form of any one type or a combination of more than one. In my own experience, I have seen all of the intermediate forms, and think a division into three classes sufficient forall practical purposes, because if these are understood, DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. IgI the practitioner will be prepared to treat the others. Classing these varieties according to what my experience has shown to be their comparative fatality, beginning with that least to be feared, I will place them: 1, Chest distemper; 2, Belly distemper; 3, Head distemper. All of these forms may of course be fatal, but the first will generally yield to treatment and good care; the second will frequently do so though not so often; and the last, I have never known cured. In some years distemper is both epidemic and more fatal in character than others. The present season has been the worst I have ever known, nearly every dog dying that has been attacked. So far as I have been able to learn almost all have died in the same way, viz: from fits, indicating head dis- temper, ze,—brain complication. No matter what has been the early form of the disease, it has quickly assum- ed this type, and treatment has been unavailing to save life. I myself lost every young dog in my kennel in spite of all a skilled practitioner and my own experience could devise, and Iam firmly convinced nothing could have saved them. Mayhew says, “the fate of a dog attacked by distemper fits may be considered sealed,” and this is so decidedly my own opinion, that I have _resolved to hereafter at once destroy any dog I may have thus afflicted. I have had distemper but twice in my kennel in many years, and every dog I have lost died in this way, which, backed by the experience of others, justifies my opinion of the fatal character of this type. Chest distemper is marked by bronchitis, pneumonia or pleurisy. The symptoms are cough, fever, rapid 192 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. breathing, abnormal sounds in the lungs, and pain. If the ear is applied to the side of a healthy dog, but little sound will be detected, and that of a smooth soft charac- ter, but when pneumonia is present there is a crackling sound or crepitating wheezing. In pleurisy, this sound is not so rough, though there is evident friction with more pain than in pneumonia. The remedies I have found most useful are aconite to reduce fever, and squills, chlorate of potass, and dovers powder to relieve the lungs, with mustard applications when the pain is severe. Aconite has been recommended as a sure cure, and through ignorance of its properties, has been prescribed in doses of dangerous strength. It is a powerful poison producing death by cardiac paralysis, and should there- fore be given with great caution and watchfulness of its effects. The pulse of adult healthy dogs varies from ninety to one hundred and ten, according to the nervous temperament of individuals. The temperature is about the same as that of a human being, viz, 98345 degrees. The temperature should be taken by inserting a medical thermometer into the rectum and allowing it to remain there a full minute. When the temperature is abnorm- ally high, fever is present and aconite should be given in doses of one drop of the flutd extract of the root ina little water each hour till the temperature is reduced. The dose of squills, chlorate of potass, and dovers powder may be put up in pills, of about half the quantity of each which would be given to a man, and should be exhibited every hour till the lungs are relieved, and sufficiently often after that to control the trouble. Of distemper of the belly, which closely resembles iN i il Wil \ crt SS} Zia it f WN i iy" : \ cal ROUSE SHOOTING. DG E RUFF DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 193 typhoid fever in the human patient, Stonehenge gives the following description: it “is too often the result of mismanagement, produced either by the abuse of vio- lent drugs or by neglect of attention to the secretions for some time previously. In the former case the ‘ bowels become very relaxed at the end of a week or ten days from the first commencement of a case of mild distemper, and then there is a constant diarrhoea soon followed by the passage of large quantities of blood. This may be quite black and pitchy when it comes from the small intestines, or red and florid when the lower bowels are affected. Sometimes these symptoms appear of themselves, but generally they result from calomel or other violent medicines. When there has been neglect, and the bowels have been allowed to become confined, while at the same time the secretion of bile has been checked, a most dangerous symptom known as ‘the yellows,” shows itself, the name being given in consequence of the skin and white of the eyes being stained by a yellow color from the presence of bile. This may occur without distemper; but when it comes on during an attack of this disease it is almost invariably followed by death.” ' I have quoted the above because it is as good description of the disease as I know of, but I do not give Stonehenge’s treatment because he recommends calomel for “the yellows,” which according to his own showing as quoted, produces the bloody diarrhoea. | say emphatically I have never known of a case where calomel has acted well with a dog, and I have very frequently seen the worst results follow its exhibition, 194 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. so that I cannot consistently endorse its use, even upon the authority of one so generally correct as Stonehenge. When the bowels are relaxed, Stonehenge recom- | mends the following astringent, viz: “ Prepared chalk, two drachms. Mucilage of acacia, one ounce. Laudanum, one ounce. Tincture of ginger, two drachms. Water, five and one-half ounces, Of this give from a dessertspoonful to a tablespoon- ful every time the bowels are relaxed.” This works well in many cases, but if it fails I have recourse to enemas of laudanum, from one-half to one teaspoonful, thin starch one tablespoonful. If the dog is kept quiet for half an hour after this has been thrown up, it remains and I think acts better than any other astringent. I[ also find that when dogs have been doctored for any length of time they resist the exhibition of medicine but do not resist the enema if quietly given. This enema should be repeated as often as required till the bowels are controled. No fear of an overdose of laudanum within reasonable bounds need be entertained, as the dog’s system will bear much more of it than will man’s. If the yellows appear I use a teaspoonful of fringe tree, and if this does not move the bowels sufficiently, it must be supplemented with a dose of oil. I am convinced, how- ever, that yellows is very rare, and that more harm is done by inducing too frequent action of the bowels with consequent exhaustion, than by almost any other course. There is in. nearly all cases of this type of distemper, a tendency to diarrhoea of a kind so difficult to check it Lo cata DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 195 should not be rashly risked, and cathartics of any kind should therefore be resorted to only when absolutely necessary. . After controling the bowels the next step is to elim- inate the poison from the system, and one of the best prescriptions I know of for this, is Quinine, two grains. Muriate of ammonia, five grains. Ipecacuanha, one grain. The above is quantity for one pill, three of which must be given daily. Another good one is Quinine, one drachm. Sulphuric acid, one drachm. Simple syrup, one ounce. Water, four ounces. Dose, a teaspoonful three times a day. With one or the other of these I have generally succeeded in carrying a dog through an attack, though I cannot pre- tend to such success with this type of the disease as with chest distemper. Head distemper or brain complication has in my experience proved invariably fatal. I have tried every remedy obtainable from books or the advice of medical men, but have never met with success. I have never known this type exhibited in the early stages of distem- per, though it is mentioned by Stonehenge and others as a distinct type. With me it has been a sequent of the form last described, and has appeared after the patient has been broken down and exhausted. Upon general principles the treatment should be directed to cooling the head and reducing the pressure of blood 196 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. | _ upon the brain, for which there is nothing better than three grain doses of bromide of potass. I confess to no faith in any treatment, but give that prescribed by Stone- henge, though I have never known it tosucceed. ‘ Head distemper requires very energetic local treatment. From four to eight leeches may be applied to the inside of the ears, washing the part well with milk and water first, then put in a seton to the back part of the neck, first smearing the tape with blistering ointment. If the head is very much affected apply cold water to it by means of a wet cloth, or if this is not allowed, by the watering pot. Calomel and jalap must be given to act upon the liver and bowels, and a pill (consisting of half a grain to one grain of tartar emetic) two or three times a day. As soon as the urgent symptoms have disap- peared the dog often requires supporting with beef tea and tonics.” Of the tonics, quinine is one of the best, given in pills of two grains two or three times a day as required. Benefit is often derived by alternating this with other tonics, and I have used with good results on alternate days Weyth’s extract of beef, iron and wine, tablespoon- ful doses three times a day. When the stage of exhaustion comes on, everything depends upon keeping up the dog’s strength, as if allowed to sink he can rarely or never be revived. So long as he will eat this is comparatively an easy matter, but when exhausted the appetite fails and food must be administered by force. To avoid disturbing the dog the food must possess strength in small quantity, and for this nothing in my opinion equals Liebig’s extract ee a DISEASES AND. THEIR TREATMENT. (0) 7/ of beef. A teaspoonful should be dissolved in water, and where quick results are wanted, add to this a tablespoonful of old port wine. The beef may be given every two hours, but the dog must be kept as quiet as possible or the food will be ejected from the stomach. Distemper is highly contagious, and in my opinion, occurs very seldom without exposure, It is the scourge of young dogs at shows, and the mortality list is always large after one of these exhibitions, in fact it is almost equivalent to pronouncing a dog’s doom to it to take | him to a show if he has never passed through the disease. It is an error to suppose that dogs ever have the distemper a second time; during my own experience I have known of two cases where they have died froma second attack, and Mayhew mentions a case as occurring in his own kennel, where a dog had ¢/ree different and distinct attacks of this disease during one autumn. Such cases are, however, fortunately rare, and the dog __ which has once passed through it may generally be con- sidered thereafter safe from the distemper. CHOREA AND Patsy.—Of these, Stonehenge says: “The sequels of distemper should also be alluded to, as consisting of chorea, commonly called “the twitch” and a kind of palsy known as “the trembles.” Both are produced by some obscure mischief done to the brain or spinal marrow in the course of the disease, and generally follow the kind which I have described as head distemper. Chorea may be known by a peculiar and idiotic looking drop in one forequarter when the dog So cet, 2 eer ee 198 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. >—_ — = begins to move, so that he bobs his head in a very help- less way. Sometimes the twitch is slight and partial, at others it is almost universal, but it always goes off during sleep. Shaking palsy affects the whole body, and is far more rare than chorea, which is fortunate, as I believe it to be incapable of cure.” Of treatment, he says: “ Little can be done in either case; but nitrate of silver in doses of | one-sixth grain has sometimes effected a cure of chorea. When the disease first comes on, a general tonic treat- ment should be tried, the first principle being to improve the general health by good food and fresh air, aided by stomachic medicines ; and secondly to give such strength- ening and tonic medicines, as are likely to improve the tone of the nervous system. Fresh country air is of the utmost consequence, and this alone will often dispel the attacks of chorea; but when united to a liberal diet, it is doubly likely to be successful. The puppy should have plenty of good milk, or if that cannot be obtained, beef tea or mutton broth with oat meal or wheaten flour added in proportion to the looseness of the bowels. If these are confined they must be acted. on by castor oil or rhubarb and aloes, or some of the aperients which merely act without producing much loss of strength, When the strength is somewhat improved by diet and stomachics, sulphate of zinc in doses varying from two to four grains, three times a day may be given; or a grain or two of quinine, with two or three grains of extract of hemlock in a pill, will be likely to be service- able, but either must be used regularly for some weeks in order to have a fair chance of success. By these means many bad cases may be relieved, or perhaps DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 199 nearly cured; but with sporting dogs, if the attack is really severe, it is seldom that sufficient improvement is effected to make the dog as efficient as before. Hence in this instance it is perhaps better to destroy him, than to persist in patching him up in a way which will only render him a burden and disgrace to his master. Shak- ing palsy, I have already remarked, is wholly incurable.” In addition to the above treatment, I would say, I have seen bad cases cured by use of the galvanic battery, after resisting the action of medicine, and I would not think of giving up a valuable dog however bad he might be, till the battery has been applied daily for a number of weeks, PARTIAL PARALYSIS, is a frequent result of the ex- haustion from distemper. This generally passes away as the strength returns, but sometimes becomes perma- nent if neglected. The treatment is the same as that given abov2, with the addition of strong embrocations well rubbed into the affected parts to stimulate healthy action. A good one is composed of mustard three oz., liquid ammonia, one oz., spirits turpentine, one oz., made into a thin paste and rubbed in two or three times a day. Hand rubbing is highly beneficial in all such cases, as well as in strains or rheumatism, and will often of itself cure slight attacks in their first stages. When the attack is severe or the parts affected extensive, the bat- tery must be used as in chorea. Mitk Trouste—‘ Milk trouble” is not a medical term, but is the name commonly given to a disease of the lacteal glands, which frequently attacks bitches just before or just after whelping. It consists of hardening 200 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. of the milk, followed by inflammation producing abscesses and broken breast. It is brought about in the first in- stance by one of two causes, which I will describe. During the latter part of her pregnancy the bitch in obedience to a natural law, begins to prepare for the nourishment of her whelps by enlargement of the udder and secretion of milk. The quantity secreted is usually small, and in most bitches the full flow does not come till two or three days after whelping. The quantity secreted from first to last varies, however, in individuals ; but in all cases where milk is present there is naturally sensitiveness of the udder and consequent liability to disease. It may be readily seen that even when the daily secretion is small, there would eventually be an accumulation beyond the capacity of the udder if there was no consumption. This consumption nature effects prior to whelping by absorption of a portion by the system, but when the secretion greatly exceeds the ab- sorption, the glands become clogged, and the milk hardens and acts, like a foreign body, to producc irrita- tion of the contiguous parts. The second and more common cause is taking cold. A bitch which is exposed at any season of the year may take cold without special inducement, but in my experience milk trouble is more common in hot weather than in cold. A bitch that is pregnant in the Summer will frequently go into the water for a bath, and the chill, though not sufficient to hurt her at other times, is potent in its influence upon the sensitive udder. Getting wet by rain, will produce equally bad results, and so should be guarded against as far as possible. hy " 4 * 4 i i} i 1 . . ri : i 5 ir U : , te ie ti. DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 201 Some bitches are more liable to trouble than others, either from excessive secretion or greater sensitiveness. One attack also predisposes to another when again pregnant, by leaving the parts in an irritable condition which is called into action by the return of the milk. It therefore behooves the breeder to watch such a bitch carefully as it is far easier to break up the attack in its earlier stages than later. In a majority of cases, no trouble is suspected till it is fully established. It is true that exposure will frequently bring it on with such rapidity as to escape detection by ordinary care, but in the greater proportion of instances, daily inspection will reveal it before it be- comes serious. Examination should, therefore, not be omitted with any bitch after the milk forms. By passing the hand carefully over the udder, any unusual heat will be detected. Heat indicates inflammatory action, and calls for prompt treatment. When the milk begins to harden, lumps will be felt of greater or less size, accord- ing to the extent to which the hardening has gone, and these must be reduced. If the secretion is excessive, it will be manifested by the fullness of the udder, and should be relieved by drawing off the superabundant -milk with a breast pump. When the trouble is established, or when it assumes 4 decided character, the treatment must be both external and internal, and this without regard to whether it is developed before or after whelping. Fever is always present when the udder is much affected, but may not be recognized by an inexperienced observer, and the only sure test is by the thermometer. Of course some | | 2@2 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. fever will be present after whelping, but no matter what the cause, at least no harm will be done by anti-phlogistic treatment. The best remedy is aconite, the dose being one drop of the fluid extract of the root, given in a little water each hour till the thermometer shows a decrease of temperature. As aconite is a very powerful poison, it should not be exhibited in larger doses than the above, and should be carefully watched, and stopped as soon as the effect is gained. This is all the internal treatment needed in the early stages. When lumps are detected they must be reduced by gently kneading them between the fingers. If the trouble comes on after whelping, the puppies will very often reduce it by simply drawing the milk, but it occasionally comes before whelping, or when the bitch has lost her litter, and then only special treatment will avail. It is not well to attempt drying up the milk in a bitch that has lost her litter till it has been reduced in quantity; for this reason the breast pump should be used each time before the application of remedies to disperse the milk. If abscesses form, which may be detected by the appearance of lumps, soft and evidently filled with fluid, these must be lanced when they come to the surface. To lance an abscess the knife should be introduced at the lowest portion as the udder hangs down, and the cut made upward and outward; in this way perfect drainage is established and the pus cannot collect and forma sinus. The abscess should not be lanced till ripe, and should be done with great care by an experienced person, or important glands may be severed. When lanced, or if the abscesses do not come to the surface readily, poultices of ground flax- ——_—= DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 20 (SS) seed must be applied. The pus must be drawn off by very gentle pressure exerted from the upper part of the udder downward. The udder should also be supported. by a sling passed over the back, and if puppies are kept on the bitch the sore portion must be secured by a bag, or the puppies may tear it open. When the drainage has been fully secured, the parts must be bathed with the regular bathing solution of carbolic acid, and from the time that pus is formed treatment must be offered to prevent its absorption into the system, or the bitch will die of blood poisoning. The best remedy is a bolus of quinine, iron and gentian, administered from two to three times a day, and continued till the discharge has entirely passed away, and healthy healing action set in. When this is obtained, if the bitch has lost her litter, the milk should be dried up by applications of camphor- ated oil, and any fever controled by aconite. There is no great danger to life in even broken breast, the only danger being through absorption of the pus, but there is great danger of loss of that portion of the udder ‘affected, thus reducing the power of the bitch to nourish her subsequent whelps. In severe cases this result is almost certain. MANGE is probably next to distemper the worst pest of the kennel keeper. It is induced in ordinary cases by lack of cleanliness, bad food or contagion. So long as the dogs are in their regular quarters, the two first can be avoided by care, but when traveling in crates or boxes, such supervision cannot always be exercised. Bench shows are also pest houses for mange, as the close confinement of a large number of dogs is almost sure to 204 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. produce it. It is, therefore, always best before shipping dogs or taking them to a show, to wash them with car- bolic soap, which, from its disinfecting powers, is a great preventive of disease, and to supplement this on their arrival at home by two or three washings with Glenn’s Sulphur Soap. I said in a former part of this chapter, there is no specific for disease, but sulphur comes as near as possible being a specific for diseases of the skin. Of all forms of application, the soap I have mentioned is the most convenient, and so sure is it that for years I have used no other remedy. It is probable that in neglected or confirmed cases, some other agent may act more rapidly, but such are—so far as my experience shows—danger- ous to the general health. The mercurial preparations are very efficient remedies, but I have known dogs so badly poisoned by them, I do not consider them safe for general use, and believe that all curable cases can be as surely and more safely treated with the soap, and backed by Fowler’s solution given internally. With proper attention by which the first signs of mange will be detected, two or three thorough washings will generally be all sufficient. The soap must be well rubbed into the skin and a thick lather raised which should be left to dry on, with proper precautions to prevent the dog taking cold. If this does not effect a cure the washing should be continued daily, and five drops of Fowler’s solution given in a little water three times aday. Where mange has been allowed to run into the chronic form, recovery will naturally be slow, but with two exceptions I think it can always be brought about by this treatment. i DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 205 The exceptions are hereditary mange, and a form I have very seldom seen, which breaks out in rings like ringworm, accompanied with great thickening of the skin, formation of scabs and discharge of watery matter. These rings rapidly run together till the entire body becomes affected, great waste of flesh ensues, and the dog dies in misery if not killed. I have fortunately seen but few examples of this, and those proved incurable, but I have heard of other cases, though none that were successfully treated. I do not find this type of mange described unmistakably in any book or mentioned by any writer. Iam inclined to believe it due to some humor or taint of the blood other than ordinary, though of what character, and whence emenating I do not pretend to say, nor do I pretend to prescribe any treatment. That mange is hereditary I am well convinced. I have known many instances where a pregnant bitch had mange, but was apparently cured before whelping, yet the whelps showed the disease unmistakably, were diff- cult to cure, and in fact where never fully cured, as the disease returned at intervals all through their lives without any apparent exciting cause. Whether the system in such a case can ever be thoroughly purified - by any treatment I am not prepared to say, but I am satisfied it will resist such treatment as the majority of men can give, and as cure is exceptional, I feel justified in placing this in the list of incurables with the last named variety. I have not attempted to divide mange into its dif- ferent forms, because I have found all—but those excepted—yield to the same treatment, and hence have sins eee 206 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. = —) not deemed such division necessary. In all cases, treatment must be supplemented by change of food, and the elimination of all that may heat the blood. Meat and rich stuffs must be rigidly denied, and bread, vege- tables and rice substituted, starving the dog till he will eat them. A mild aperient should be occasionally given to cleanse the system, and a bed of shavings in place of straw or hay, as the minute particles of these irritate the skin. RueEumatisM is an ill to which all dogs are liable. It may be local as in kennel lameness or chest founder, or general in character. Kennel lameness shows itself in stiffness of the shoulders when the dog gallops down hill or jumps out of his bunk. It generally yields to cathartic treatment, followed by thorough rubbing of the parts with liniment composed of equal parts of spirits of ammonia, spirits of turpentine and laudanum. If it resists this it should be treated in the same way as general rheumatism. In general rheumatism—the term being used in distinction from kennel lameness—the fever must be con- troled by aconite, given as directed in distemper, and in addition a pill composed of Salicine four grains. Powdered colchicun, two grains. Opium, one-half grain, must be given every three hours till a change for the better is observed, when the time may be lengthened The liniment used in kennel lameness may be used with advantage when the pain is not too great to permit of application. If the joints are much swollen or very DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT, 207 painful, relief may be got by wrapping them in cotton batting. | CANKER OF THE Ear is caused by derangement of the system, through disease or bad food, or by injury. or the pressure of foreign bodies in the ear. It is exhibited by a discharge from the ear smelling like old cheese, generally of a black appearance, soreness about the root when pressed, a tendency to lop the head to the affected side and flap the ears frequently. If taken in time the disease generally yields readily to treatment, but if neglected it assumes a chronic character difficult to control, and very possibly causing deafness, or involv- ing the surrounding tissues and ultimately causing death. The treatment is both general and local. The first consists of the exhibition of a cathartic followed by a change of diet to bread and vegetables, and in bad cases giving five drops of Fowler’s solution, three times a day, as an alterative. The local applications, depend upon the character of the case; if mild, it will generally be cured by pouring into the ear, twice a day, a few drops of weak solution of carbolic acid. Mayhew recommends liquor plumbi and water equal parts, but when severe stronger remedies must be used. A small portion of _ powdered iodoform blown into the ear with a quill once a day, will frequently induce a change, but if all else fails a seton must be put in back of the ear, and a few drops of weak solution nitrate of silver poured into the ear every other day. If the flapping of the ears causes external ulcers along the rim, these must be protected by binding a piece of common plaster over them, to prevent the scabs | | 208 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. being broken up. When necessary they must be opened and washed with solution of carbolic acid. Curs or Tears must be carefully washed clean in tepid water, then bound up in cloths wet with solution of carbolic acid, or if so located that they cannot be con- | veniently bandaged, they must be painted with Friar’s balsam. Large cuts must, of course, be stitched up with a surgical needle and frequently wet with carbolic acid to prevent suppuration. If proud flesh forms, this must be kept down, but in such cases medical help had better be called in, or severe soughing of the tissues may be induced. Tue Eve is too delicate an organ to be roughly treated, and in all cases of severe injury a competent occulist should be consulted, but slight injuries received in the field require only simple treatment by a wash or cooling lotion, and for such, Mayhew prescribes the following: | ‘A square of soft lint, formed by doubling a large | square several times, is laid upon the painful organ, and kept wet with the following lotion: (1) Lotion for the:eye : Tinct. arnic., mont., three drops. Tinct. opi, six drops Mist. camph., one ounce. The first symptoms having subsided—that is, the dog being capable of raising the lid, and the flow of tears having in some measure stopped—the previous lotion may be changed for the following wash: (2) Eye wash: | Arg nit, one grain. | Mist. camph., or aqua dist., one ounce.” | DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 209 This wash should be applied with a camel’s hair pencil dipped in the solution and drawn across the eye ball after separating the lids, two or three times a day. If a white film forms over the ball, this may be got rid of by blowing into the eye with a quill twice a day a small quantity of powered white sugar. Worms are the most deadly enemies of young puppies, and annually destroy more, than all other causes combined. They are most to be dreaded at weaning time, as the change of food naturally reduces the strength of system in some degree, rendering the whelps less capable of resisting these parasites. Two kinds of worms are most common, viz: the maw worm and the round worm. The former is about an inch long, white, with a pointed head and flat tail. These dwell in the large intestines, and though in great numbers seldom do much damage. The round worm isa light pink or flesh color, from three to six inches long, with pointed ends, and is a terrible scourge to the kennel. The presence of worms is indicated by loss of flesh, a rough staring coat, fetid breath, loss of appetite or a voracious and depraved one, causing the pups to eat stones or other hard bodies, loose stools with mucus or blood, and when in great numbers, fits are frequently exhibited. I have tried all the remedies prescribed in medical works, and have seen all fail, but the one with which I have been most generally successful, and which will, I think, be invariably so if used in time, is spirits of turpentine, half teaspoonful doses in a dessert-spoonful of olive oil, given on an empty stomach two or three times a week, as soon as any symptoms of worms are noticed, This is the oat 210 AMERICAN KENNEL -AND FIELD. dose for a puppy six weeks old, and should be increased for older ones. I use olive oil with young pups because it is not strongly cathartic, yet serves to remove the dead worms and to counteract the caustic properties of the turpentine. With older dogs castor oil may be sub- stituted. Tape worm is comparatively rare in the dog, and when present is generally so in adult animals. The treatment is the same as already given, except that as a preliminary the dog must be got to eat a quantity of pumpkin seeds. Fully half a pint should be pounded up, mixed with meal and fried. The dog will generally eat the cakes readily, and they must be his only food for thirty-six hours, then he must be given a full tea- spoonful of turpentine in two tablespoonsful of castor oil, and if this does not move the bowels freely in a couple of hours another dose of oil must be added. Srrous Axsscesses.—These are generally caused by bruises received by the dog while at play or in the field, and are sometimes difficult to get rid of. If the swelling appears to contain fluid, a pitch plaster should be applied to draw it to a head, and when fully ripe, if it does not burst, it should be lanced. After being well-drained the wound must be washed with solution of carbolic acid. WounpbED Feret.—It very frequently happens, espe- cially at the opening of the season, that dogs become foot-sore. This (in the absence of absolute injury), is caused by the wearing away of the cuticle which covers the surface of the foot. During the close season, as the dogs have then but little exercise, this foot-pad becomes thin and tender, so that a few days’, or even hours’, work on very rough ground renders it extremely sensitive. DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 73 AL Some dogs are undoubtedly more prone to this trouble than others, but all will suffer at times unless care is taken to render the feet hard and tough before the season opens. I have found the best treatment to con- sist in washing the feet carefully in tepid water and castile soap; then after drying, soak them with a wash composed of two grains of chloride of zinc to one ounce of water, with one or two drops of the essence of lemon; next soak some soft rags in this lotion, and wrap them round the injured foot, covering the whole with a boot. This is the treatment prescribed by Mayhew, and I have seen it tried with perfect success in many cases. In cases where the dog is not very lame, and it is desirable to work him, the boot may be worn in the field. The simplest and best form of boot consists of a leather bag made to fit the leg, and with a bottom made of a circular piece of stout, but not stiff, leather the size of the foot. The top of the boot may be left unsewed, so as to wrap around the limb, and fasten with a cord of soft leather or strong listing. After a day’s hunt, especially late in the fall, the dog’s feet should be looked to, and all thorns extracted, and burs combed out of his hair, before he is sent to his kennel. If any thorns are found to be too deeply imbedded to be removed without cutting for them, a plaster of shoemaker’s wax, or a bread and milk poultice will draw them out during the night. If a strain shows itself, bathe with the lotion prescribed for rheumatism. Tue KernneLt.—lIf dogs are expected to do good service, it is imperatively necessary that they be well housed and well fed. The kennel should therefore be AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. so arranged as to be warm in winter, and cool in summer. It should, if possible, be built on a hill side, so as to have good drainage, and where this cannot be done the ground should be plowed up into a ridge before the kennel is built. To accommodate a brace of dogs well will require a room six feet by eight, high enough for a man to stand upright in, with shed roof, the outside weather boarded, the inside sealed with matched stuff smoothly planed. The floor—also of planed matched stuff—should have a sharp pitch to carry off all water, which must be received into a drain pipe under the floor and carried away from the building. The bunk should be fastened against the wall about a foot from the floor, and should have a slat bottom to allow the broken bed- ding to fall through. This building should be set upon posts, eighteen inches above the ground, which will give a place for the dogs to lie in the shade and cool dirt in summer. A step should be placed in front of the door to avoid the jar to the dog’s shoulders in jumping in or out. As dogs should be confined as little as possible, there should be a yard attached to the kennel at least twelve by twenty-four feet, but besides such exercise as they get in this, they must have a good run once a day at least.) hie entire! kennel’ and jyards) mustme avert scrupulously clean, all dirt being carefully swept up each day, and the interior of the building white-washed twice a year, a strong solution of carbolic acid being added to the wash. The water crock should be set in one corner of the yard, upon a pedestal, raising it a foot from the ground to prevent its being defiled. It should be kept — DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. full of pure water, and should be frequently washed out. Foop.—The best that can be given dogs is table scraps, containing a mixture of meat, bread and vege- tables, but where too many dogs are kept for this to be got in sufficient quantity, the next best is made by boiling a beef head to rags and thickening with mixed oat and corn meal, with vegetables added two or three times a week. This isa cheap and healthy diet, upon which dogs keep in good condition the year round. It can be baked into cakes when required for a journey, but will not, of course, keep long in warm weather. Food should always be fresh, as, though the dogs may eat it when stale, they will not do as well upon it, besides running the risk of deranging their systems. Fora long journey, or while shooting in places where food cannot be properly prepared, Spratt’s dog biscuits are the best substitute I know of. 214 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. Cina Ih a1 1D. BENCH SHOWS AND FIELD TRIALS. HESE are matters over which, from one cause or another, there has been much contention, and it is not my purpose in the present chapter to discuss vexed questions, but simply to point out what I deem the good and bad points of both shows and trials, with such changes as I think will be productive of improvement, and the furtherance of the purpose for which these exhibitions have been instituted. Those who recall the type of dogs exhibited in our first shows, and compare them with such classes as we see now, need no argument in favor of the bench. It is no exaggeration to say, that the quality of sporting dogs has been more than doubled within ten years, and that the knowledge of correct form so widely dissemi- nated, and the incentive to care in breeding, is due entirely to shows and show competition; yet with all that has been done possibilities are not yet exhausted, and as great improvement may be wrought in the future as has been effected in the past. Some of our most important classes, though profess- edly kept up, have in reality been practically destroyed by license in judging, and as the public is being taught by the repeated placing of certain dogs, to regard them as typical of their breeds, though in fact they are not at ANN _ SSS Zz —_————_———— ENGLISH SETTER—BLACK AND WHITE, Importer and Owner, LUTHER ADAMS, Esq., Boston, Mass. << ee = BENCH SHOWS AND FIELD TRIALS. 215 all of correct form, it is very evident that a few years persistence in this course, will result in the utter ex- tinction of race typein these classes. This evil originates in the lack of a recognized standard and its compulsory use by judges. Stonehenge’s standard is accepted abroad, and a show judge is expected to be guided by it, so that a departure from the form there laid down, would con- stitute good ground for protest of an award. Witha definite standard thus accepted and generally known, breeders have a guide to go by, and judging becomes consistent as compared with the do as you please system, where a judge is controled solely by personal caprice. In this country, though the same standard is quoted, and would be referred to in deciding a question of the com- parative merits of two dogs outside of a show ring, it is ignored by show committees, in so far, that with idiotic inconsistency, they declare in their circulars that “the judges will be requested to use Stonehenge’s standard in judging, but departure from it will not constitute ground for protest.” I do not hesitate to pronounce such a | declaration a display of ignorance and a breach of faith, | which ought to make every such show a failure. It displays ignorance of the pernicious results of placing uncontroled power in the hands of judges, who may be prejudiced upon correct form or susceptible to the influences of exhibitors. Itisa breach of faith, because exhibitors have a right to expect that their dogs will be judged by the recognized standard of their respective classes, and that they will be protected in their rights by the committee. The fact that this declaration is | made in the advance circulars, and is or may be known aS ees 216 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. | to all men before they make their entries, does not constitute consent to it on the part of exhibitors, any more than the purchase of a railroad ticket constitutes consent to the release of liability, with which companies have attempted to burden their tickets. There is a moral obligation resting upon every committee, that it will care for and protect the interests of its patrons, and if a man who, by careful judgment and skill) in breeding, has produced a dog true to the recognized type of his class, has that dog beaten by one not of true type, through the fancy of the judge, made possible of indulgence by this declaration of the committee, this obligation is violated, and a wrong done, not alone to the individual, but to all breeders of the same class of dogs. There have been shows held in this country, which have done far more harm than good, owing to the igno- rance or prejudice displayed in the awards. Dogs of extreme opposite types have been placed in the same class showing that the judge either did not know which was the correct type, or was influenced by personal consider- ations in his selection. If a standard was recognized and made obligatory upon the judges, I say asa breeder I would rather submit dogs to the inspection of an inexperienced boy, who had studied the standard suffici- ently to know its requirements, than to the uncontroled criticism of the so called “good judges” who have presided at many of our prominent shows, and displayed only knowledge based upon prejudice in favor of one style of form, and have selected winners that conformed | to it, whether it belonged to the breed or not. I say UAHA GEORGE. ENGLISH POINTER — LIVER AND WHITE, PEG. From a painting by BISPHAM. ENGLISIL POINTER—BLACK AND WHITE, DON. ENGLISH SETTER— WHITE AND ORANGE, Owned by Dr. A. STRACHAN, New York. BENCH SHOWS AND FIELD TRIALS. ZING without hesitation, that the awards at many prominent shows prove that the judges have taken the type of the English setters as the standard for all breeds, and as this is not natural to the Jrish or Gordons, its enforcement against those dogs tends to destroy the distinguishing characteristics of their breeds, by stamping them as bad in form and incorrect in type. Firm believer as I am in the superiority of the English setter over all others, I should be unjust and false to the memory of many noble dogs I have known of, if I did not concede grand qualities to the Irish and Gordons. It must be remem- bered that far more attention has been devoted of late years to the improvement of the English setter than to the others, and possibly the present superiority of the one may be due to this greater care. [I am not so bigotted as to deny the possibility that other dogs can be brought up to an equality with my favorites by the same skillful selection and breeding. It is certain that defects of formation are present in many Irish and Gordon setters, not defects as judged merely by the English type, but as judged by their own, and these should certainly be got rid of. I believe that the Irish and Gordons can be made as good in form, considered in the light of adaptation for practical work, as is the best English setter of the day, and this, too, without losing their typical character. If the present style of judging — continues, ten years longer there will not be a typical Irish or Gordon setter exhibited, but we shall have dogs qualified for competition in the English class, where latitude in color is allowed, though such dogs may not have a drop of English blood in their veins. Against NO = co AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. —_————— — such demoralization, I, as an earnest admirer of the dog, enter my protest, and trust it will be sustained by the verdict of my brother sportsmen. There is but one remedy for this growing evil,—it lies in the adoption of a standard and the enforcement of judging by it. If Stonehenge’s standard is faulty, let it be revised and corrected; if a better can be devised, by all means let us have it, but let us have something by which we can guide ourselves in breeding, and not be forced to follow the will o’ the wisp of Tom, Dick and Harry's fancy when selected to pass judgment upon our dogs, or be obliged to see what experience and study show to be true types, sacrificed to ignorance or prejudice. The judges at field trials are bound down by a set of rules which control their awards, or force them to set the rules at defiance. Why then, should show judges | be allowed a liberty denied to others equally trustworthy ? The rigidity of trial rules may, under certain circum- stances, produce bad results; as an example, we often see in the reports of trials, that the judges were obliged to penalize a dog for flushing, though they considered there were extenuating circumstances, If then, latitude of judgment is denied in trials where the element of uncertainty and the chapter of accidents cannot be pro- vided for, with what propriety is it allowed in the selection of show winners, whose fitness for the rank should be determined by what is coniparatively an exact science ? The fact that a trial winner may win hundreds of dollars while the bench winner gets only tens, is no reason for laxity in restrictions. The amount of money in either case does not constitute the true stake, and the principle _______ BENCH SHOWS AND FIELD TRIALS. 219 of correct form by which breeders shall be guided in all their efforts, is of more importance than the success or failure of any individual trial winner. I am as firm a believer in the principle of field trials as I am in bench shows. Incomplete tests, as trials must necessarily be, they are the only public tests possible, and public tests are the only positive and disinterested proofs of merit. Fairly run, under well devised rules, trials afford an opportunity for a dog to be tried against his fellows and to show his superiority, if it exists. Circumstances may indeed militate against an individual and he be defeated through no fault of his own, but such are only of occasional occurrence, and in the long run each dog has an equal chance, and wins or loses according to his deserts. Success at a trial is more important than upon the bench, by just as much as field quality exceeds in value mere beauty of form, and hence the trial winner will always outrank the mere bench winner in the estimation of practical sportsmen. To make trials successful the rules must be well devised, and the running free from all suspicion of favoritism. Well devised rules are those which provide for the exhibition of qualities best adapted to field work -in the sections for which the trials are designed. Ina country with such diversity of surface and game as our own, | am fully satisfied trials must be local to be of any value. It is impossible for National or general trials to be as valuable as local ones, for the reason that no one set of rules can be equally applicable to all dogs where such difference in style of work is demanded. Our present National trials with rules adapted to West- 220 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. ern and Southern dogs, where the country is unenclosed and free from thick cover, afford no chance for the display of qualities required for successful work in the small fields and woodlands of the Eastern and Middle States, and as the high rank conceded to trial winners makes them attractive to sportsman generally, the result of our National trials will be the breeding of dogs suited only to certain sections and useless in others, as the majority of amateurs have neither the experience nor the time necessary to break a fast wide ranging dog, to the moderate speed and narrow beat required for an enclosed country and wild woodland birds. I have no wish to be unjust to the so called “ National” club, nor do I think I am, when I say, it is national only in name, and the fact that its members are not confined to any section. Asa Western and Southern club it is a success, but its claim to national character is defeated by its inability to place the dogs of all sections upon an equal footing in its competitions, and to stimulate the breeding of those suited to all kinds of work. The fact that certain Eastern dogs have run in the National trials does not contradict this assertion, but rather proves what I have claimed, viz: that dogs unsuited for certain sections, have been introduced into them by the value attached to trial winnings. In a previous chapter, I quoted the words of the owner of a prominent trial dog in the East, to the effect that he wanted a fast puppy, because, though he would not give a cent for a flyer for work, the points given for pace made speed _ necessary for trials, and this, so far as the opinion of a gentleman of experience is of value, sustains my position. It is BENCH SHOWS AND FIELD TRIALS. PY PRM — well known that most of the Eastern trial winners are kept for stock purposes only, and are not taken into the field except for occasional work on quails, and further that all these dogs have been broken by the best pro- fessional breakers and not by amateurs, which sustains the view that such are not suited to amateurs, in that only professionally broken ones have achieved any reputation. The mistakes in our entire present trial system originated in the fact that the great majority of members of the National club, who have from the first been present at its meetings and controled its legislation, have been Western and Southern gentlemen who have naturally regarded sport from their own stand point, and devised rules in accordance with their own experience. It has not been the fault of such members that Eastern men have not attended the meetings and discussed the rules, but the result of this absence is, that the club is really sectional in character though national in name. I do not think this absence has been due to any luke- warm interests in sporting matters on the part of Eastern sportsmen, but to misapprehension of the character hon- estly intended to be giventhe club. From the fact that the club was organized in the west, it was from the first regarded as a western institution, and the rules under which its trials have been run, have served to strengthen this feeling. In one way the club could have been made truly national, and that is, by its holding trials in different sections, under rules adapted to each. This might have been brought about in the past, but in my opinion the time for it has gone by, because there have sprung up in the east, rival associations, and it is not AMERICAN KENNEL AND HTD: tO iS) i) likely these could be induced to acknowledge the supremacy of the National body, so that practically the club is and must remain sectional. A bad result of the National club rule, is, that East- ern Associations have, by the force of example, been induced to adopt one of their most objectionable feat- ures, viz: the encouragement of excessive speed, thereby really offering a premium for dogs unfit for work outside of trial running. To find game suited for such dogs the trials are held in the South, entailing a costly journey, and a total expense beyond the means of any but wealthy men. For trials to be generally popular, and to be productive of the highest good, they must be brought within the reach of the average sportsman. To effect this, they must be inexpensive, and must be held upon the game which such men hunt. Here is just where local associations come into play. Torun a gen- eral meeting, money and game must both be abundant, but a small one can be made equally successful upon moderate supplies. There are but few sections of the Eastern and Middle states, where State associations cannot run good meetings upon mixed game, and there are plenty of men who will gladly enter their dogs, who will not enter them in trials restricted to one bird. The fact that the prizes at such meetings must be small, is no reason for failure; men of moderate means are fully as alive to the honor of victory as their more wealthy brothers, and by confining certain stakes to amateurs, an inducement will be offered, which will. call out entries, and promote a manly rivalry that will result in improved breaking of the dogs and proportional im- BENCH SHOWS AND FIELD TRIALS. bo to Oo provement of sportsmanship. I have not the least doubt, that the organization of State associations will result in more good than can be effected in any other way, and I am as confident as I can be of anything, that such associations would soon become highly popu- lar, be well patronized, induce protection of game, and lead to an exchange of inter-state courtesies, and a development of sporting interest, which can never be brought about under our present system. The rules for State associations should be carefully drafted with special reference to each locality. While sufficiently rigid to compel the winners to display high quality and good breaking, some latitude should be allowed the judges to prevent injustice in cases which cannot be foreseen or provided for. I do not believe in lax rules, but I do think judges can be selected of sufficient honor to insure their using discretionary power with honesty, and I think there is less chance for wrong to a competitor, when a judge is permitted to consider the circumstances under which an act is performed, than there can be in the enforcement of a fisid rule 1 know there is a disposition to tie judges down as closely as possible, and I am not inclined to underrate the temptation to which the most honorable man may be exposed through the influence of his prejudices. I know, too, that it is claimed, positive rules prevent dissatisfac- tion, by affording a chance for a man to see wherein his dog is beaten, but after all due allowance, and upon the evidence of the reports of past trials, I still think that something can be left to the discretion of the judges, with benefit to themselves and to the competitors. ASS 3 en Sere 0 ho as AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. ClaVANe IIe C GUNS AND FIELD EQUIPMENTS. INALLY it appears proper that I should say a few words on guns and the other portions of a sportman’s field equipment. Guns.—I shall not attempt in this connection to enter into any long or scientific comparison of large and small bcres, and will concede at the outstart that for target or for trap matches, where money depends upon the slaughter of every bird, and which has nothing in common with field shooting, the ten bore is superior to any smaller gauge because larger loads can be used, but upon the same principle, an eight bore will excel the ten, and a six the eight, and so on ad zxfinztum, to the ex- treme size and weight possible, in a gun used from the shoulder. The gun I am writing of, is one best adapted to the wants of American sportsmen, with due regard for the variety and character of the game which the country affords, and I say without hesitation, I think there has been an undue fancy for large bores. A ten guage gun should not weigh less than ten pounds—and may with propriety weigh more—to permit of its heavy loads without excessive recoil, and to carry and suc- cessfully use such a gun, in even the most open country, exceeds the strength of an average man. All excess of weight beyond that necessary in a gun capable My) y SS SSs ——a- SS SS SSS SS Ss SS is ISS iS TSS INSSSSs SS S GO OG0COG> oa I) Hh ul Wy Y Cs na Ca Wits = GUNS AND FIELD EQUIPMENTS. 225 of killing cleanly all varieties of game, is simply a burden carried without corresponding returns, and that smaller guns shoot well enough for all field use, has been repeatedly shown at target competitions, and is demon- strated practically the world over in the field. There is no shooting which calls for harder hitting than that upon the Scotch and Welsh moors, yet sportsmen there use fourteen, sixteen and even twenty bore guns. One of my correspondents wrote me last year, his score “the first day of the season was thirty-eight brace of grouse, all killed with a six and a half pounds, sixteen guage gun.” I frankly confess I do not believe in very small any more than in very large guns, for general shooting upon mixed game like ours. One of the very best guns I ever owned or saw was a seven pounds fourteen guage muzzle loader, built by Chas. Lancaster of London, but speaking from very long experience with all the ordinary varieties of game, I consider an eight pounds twelve guage gun, with barrels twenty-eight or thirty inches long, according to the open or woodland character of the shooting, the very best for all round work in this country. With such a gun bored for close hard shooting, a man can, by varying his loads, kill anything from a summer cock to a canvass back, yet never find his gun too heavy at the end of a day’s tramp. I have not said anything of the benefit to be derived from keeping guns of different weights and guages, because | have intended to speak of that which I deem best of all. Again, the majority of sportsmen cannot afford an extensive armory, and lastly, very few men can use different guns—even though stocked alike— 3 226 AMERICAN KENNEL “AND FIELD. with equal success. There is an old field adage that, the man of one gun is to be feared}? and ll canysay, with confidence, the best shots I have ever known have been men who habitually used the same guns. All sports- men know how little it takes to temporarily destroy a man’s nerve and cut down his average in the field, and will agree with me that the addition of two pounds weight in hand will do this most effectually with most men, so that it follows, after the bad effects of the change have been overcome the same gun must be used continually, and as I have already said the comparatively light twelve guage, shoots well enough, I fail to see what is to be gained by changing this for a heavier. | The next question to be decided is, what make of gun is the best, a matter upon which there are almost as many opinions as there are different styles of guns in the market 7 must admit that for allimy) natural pride in American manufacturers, I have, until lately, held the opinion that in the higher grades of guns, the best English builders surpass anything turned out in this country for symmetry, balance, and perfection of finish, which distinguishes a thoroughly first class gun, and should have felt compelled to declare in favor of the foreigners, if I had not had Harington and Richardson’s best hammerless brought to my notice, and after careful comparison of its different parts and complete make up with the best specimens from the crack English workshops, been forced to the conclusion that this firm has produced a gun equal to any in the world. The practical value of a gun depends upon the qual- MOR OLI ok Lek s J GUNS AND FIELD EQUIPMENTS. 220) ity of its barrels, the strength and durability of its action, the perfection of its locks, its shooting powers, and its hang or balance in the hand. Each and every one of these essentials is possessed by the Harrington and Richardson, in a degree rarely met with. The cheapest grade of gun has laminated barrels, sound, well forged, well proportioned, put together in workmanlike manner, and bored on scientific principles. The more costly grades have Damascus barrels of the highest possible quality. All are made exclusively for this house, and bear government proof marks, thus insuring the pest bared that can be obtained. The action combines the greatest strength with the latest improvements. It consists in double bolts with extension rib, top leverand patent fore-end. Experience shows that the double bolt with extension rib outwears all other styles, and holds the barrels firmly, long after others have become loose and shaky. The top lever is acknowledged more convenient than any other, and the advantages of the patent fore-end need no recapitulation. The several parts of this action are fitted with an exact- ness which not only insures beauty of appearance, but also reduces friction and consequent wear to the mini- mum, so that with ordinary care, one of these guns will last a sportsman a lifetime. The prominent feature of the gun is its lock action, the noted Anson and Deely, the quality of which is proved by the fact that it is used, under license, by such builders as Westley Richards, Greener, Williams and Powell, and others. It is one of the most simple, as well as one of the strongest and best hammerless actions | | 228 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. known. It consists of less than half the number of parts used in an ordinary lock, and these are of such form and adjustment, that they can be made stronger than any hammer lock in existence.* In this action both locks are cocked and both triggers bolted automatically, by the act of opening the gun toinsert the shells. While the triggers are bolted the gun is absolutely safe from discharge, but a slight movement of the safety stop will release the triggers instantly for firing. Dhe locks, cami be uncocked without discharging the gun, and by the arrangement of a plate below the frame, they can be wiped or oiled without taking them out, by with- drawing a single screw. The greater safety, simplicity and effectiveness of the hammerless guns, are now so generally recognized that it is only a question of brief time when they will supercede hammer guns as com- pletely as breech-loaders have superceded muzzle-loaders. There can be no possible objection to the hammerless action on the part of any one who will give it an unpreju- diced examination. Its advantages are unquestionable, and it has no real offsetting disadvantages. Prejudiced critics have claimed that there is greater danger of accident, from the fact that, as there are no hammers, there is nothing to show that the gun is cocked. On the contrary, there is the fact that the gun is always cocked after it has been broken open, unless the ham- mers have been let down, yet it is so bolted that discharge is impossible until the triggers are released, and these can be bolted again at any time. The only safety with a hammer gun, lies in putting the hammers at half cock, hut that this is no absolute safeguard has *See Cut next page. GUNS AND FIELD EQUIPMENTS. we 2 i) \O been proved times without number. There is no excuse for leaving a loaded gun about or giving one to a person for examination, and to such carelessness the greater portion of accidents is due. The utmost precaution cannot insure against accident under such circumstances, but these are not legitimate risks and cannot be provided for by any mechanical contrivance in either hammer or hammerless guns. Legitimate risks, are those which all run in handling guns in the field, and against these no other gun affords security equal to that of the ham- merless, with safety bolt. The shooting of a gun depends simply upon the boring, so that a cheap one can be made to perform as well for a ¢¢me as one of the best in material and man- ufacture, but permanence in shooting quality depends upon the wear of the barrel, and as good material will stand work with less wear than poor, barrels of high grade will retain their boring and consequent shooting longer than cheap ones. The hang or balance of a gun is not a matter of mere elegance, as an ill-balanced gun handles as awkwardly as a bar of iron. In open shooting, where each shot can be taken deliberately, lack of proper balance is not so destructive to success as in cover, but where snap shots are in order, there must be sympa- thetic action of hand and eye, so that the gun will come instantly to the line of sight, and remain there till discharged. There is no time under such circumstances to correct the erratic swing of an ill-balanced gun, and an attempt to do so will lead to poking, which will result in the bird escaping unshot at, or missed. The AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. ie) Go O perfect balance which seems to reduce the actual weight of the gun, and which makes it come up easily to the eye, is one of the marked qualities of the Harrington and Richardson. This is a point upon which the best English makers pride themselves, and truth demands the admission they are justified in so doing. It is a point in which American guns are too frequently lacking, especially as most of our choke bores are made very heavy at the muzzle, which without corresponding distribution of weight in other parts must make the gun hang down, thus greatly increasing the chances of shoot- ing under rising birds. There is no reason for this defect, and the Harrington and Richardson is conspicu- ously free from it, in fact I] have never taken one of these guns in hand that did not balance well and come up with a freedom which gave confidence in being well on the mark, a confidence sportsmen will recognize as being one of the most efficient helps in the field. The qualities I have enumerated are common to all the Harrington and Richardson guns irrespective of price, and all are therefore reliable weapons in the field. The $100. grade is a sound, serviceable, handsome gun, good enough for any man to use, yet the higher grades running up to $300. for the best, are proportionally superior in material and workmanship, the latter gun being fully equal to the best turned out by the crack London makers at even higher figures, I do not speak unadvisably in this, as I have taken pains to compare the Harrington and Richardson, critically, with some of the highest priced and most perfect guns ever sent to America, and this, too, with prejudice in favor of the GUNS AND FIELD EQUIPMENTS. 231 | latter, so that my present opinion is based upon evidence which forced me unwillingly to this conclusion. I am frankly pleased by it, because as an American, I desire | to see our manufactures equal any in the world, yet I | do not believe in that foolish national pride, which leads many to think our products superior to all others, simply because they are our own. In forming all conclusions, I strive to give due credit to a thing irrespective of the source from which it springs. J acknowledge that many of our American guns are equal in all respects to those of their grade of foreign build, but I maintain that in the highest grades we cannot as a rule, compare with | the best English makers, and that the Harrington and Richardson is exceptional in this respect. I say this after years of experience with the best of our guns, and I believe my assertion will be supported by all who will compare the Harrington and Richardson with other American guns, and then with those of English makers of the best reputation. I have no wish to be unjust to any manufacturer, and in writing what I have, I decide against the gun I have used constantly for years, and for which I have the regard natural to a sportsman. I feel, however, that I am honorably bound to frankly admit merit, irrespective of whatever effect such admis- sion may have upon things I like or have liked in the past, and I cannot consistently ignore evident superiority, when convinced that such superiority exists. Among the agents of the Harrington and Richardson gun, are Schoverling, Daly and Gales, of New York; B. Kittridge & Co. of Cincinnati; Symmonds Hardware Co., of St Louis; Hibbard, Spencer & Co., of Chicago ; eal 232 AMERICAN KENNEL -AND FIELD. Ducharme, Fletcher & Co. of Detroit, and Edward K. Tryon Jr. & Co., of Philadelphia. All these are firms of undeniably first-class standing, and their association with this gun as its agents is of itself a proof of high quality. For though it may be claimed that business men will take hold of any article of legitimate trade that will pay, it may be argued on the other hand that firms of high reputation cannot afford to lend their names to guns or other articles of inferior quality, since that inferiority will surely be discovered sooner or later, and involve the handlers in loss greater than any previous gain can compensate for. Such firms as I have named are well known to the public. They are made up of shrewd men, whose experience has taught them that the only way to gain an established position in public confidence is to deal honorably with all men, and having _ by years of manly persistence in this cause, built up reputations, which, when looked upon solely in a mer- | cenary way are worth fortunes to their possessors, they will not sacrifice these to the paltry gains to be made out of imposing an inferior gun upon their patrons. Such men are not easily deceived. Whatever is submit- ted for their inspection is critically examined and its true worth and real quality alone decides its acceptance. Under such circumstances even an unknown article obtains a reputation from the reputation of its agents, and this will be amply sustained in the present case by inspection. English makers are very fond of sneering at machine made guns, but there is not a particle of sound sense in | their arguments against these, and, in fact, these asser- GUNS AND FIELD EQUIPMENTS. 2 tions are put forth simply to give their own guns a guast-superiority, enabling their makers to sustain prices and retain their hold upon the American trade. What- ever claims to superiority English guns may have, these are not rightly based upon the fact that such guns are handmade. The gunisa machine composed of different parts, and it stands to reason that these can be more accurately made and finished by automatic action than by hand, in fact the perfection of machine work is proved by the interchangeable character of the parts of machine guns, while those of hand made ones are never exactly alike, as is admitted by the warmest advocates of the latter. If the density or quality of the metal was in any way affected by hand work, this claim would have some force, but the truth is, the barrels of most English guns come from the same factories as those used in American machine guns, and consequently one is as good as the other. The grinding, fitting and finishing of these, gains nothing from the hand, that it does not gain from the machinery, assertions to the contrary notwithstand- ing, so that as perfect barrels are obtained by machine process as can be turned out in any possible way. The parts of a lock can be cut, filed and fitted automatically with an exactness human muscles cannot equal, and stocks can be turned as elegantly as they can be worked, down. by the best hand tools, guided by the most cunning hand, ‘There is neither rhyme nor reason in such asser- tions, and they will be disputed by all who will put them to the test by examining specimens of both styles of work. I am ready to concede merit where it is proved, and I have already expressed my opinion of English 234 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. — and American guns, but I am not inclined to admit claims which have no foundation in fact, and emenate solely from prejudice. Suetrs.—In the manufacture of shells American makers can hold their own against those of any other country. I have used the best grade of Ely shells, and neither by use nor comparison, can I detect any supe- riority over the Union Metalic Company’s, the U. 5. Cartridge Company’s or the Winchester shells. I have shot thousands of both English and American shells, and consider the latter in all respects equal to the former. All I have named are made of good paper, that will not split or swell with ordinary use or exposure. All crimp equally well, and all are equally sure fire, in fact I think missfires are more commonly due to the faulty construc- tion or working of the gun than to fault in the shells. I tested in the field and in all sorts of weather, two thousand of the Union Metalic Co’s. first quality shells and did not have a single missfire, which at least shows reason for doubt that failure may be due to the gun. I do not believe the glancing blow given by an inclined plunger, as sure as the direct blow from a level plunger. I have very seldom known a Parker gun missfire, though I have known others equally good, do so frequently, and the difference is, in my opinion, due to the relative positionof the plungers. Upon the comparative shooting qualities of paper and metal shells there is a difference of opinion, but I think there is no doubt the latter are a trifle superior to the former, this superiority is not great enough, however, to compensate for the inconvenience of carrying about GUNS AND FIELD EQUIPMENTS. 235 —. a lot of jingling brass, and for field use paper shells hold deservedly the first place in public esteem. SHELL CARRIERS.—The most convenient way to carry shells in the field, is a matter to which I have given much attention, and upon which I have made many experiments. I have, I think, tried all the differ- ent styles of belts, bags and holders, and have discarded all for a simple false vest front, made of a single piece with a strap over the neck and a broad belt at the waist, buttoning with two buttons at the side. What I mean by vest front is, a piece of stout duck cut exactly like the front of a vest but not open. This fits well over the chest being kept,in place by the neck strap (which buttons on the shoulder), and the belt. This belt is simply a broad band sewed to one side of the front and passing round the back to the other where it buttons. Across this front I have three rows of pockets, each of the lower ones holding sixteen No. 12 shells, while the upper row, which is a trifle smaller owing to the narrow- ing of the front towards the top, holds fifteen. There is ample room for another row above this, but the front as it is holds all the shells a man will care to carry about him at a time. This front is light, easily put on or taken off without taking off the coat, and is more com- fortable and less cumbersome than any belt or vest in the market, besides costing less than half as rane Il have used it for years, and would not give it up for any other contrivance whatever its name or form may be. Loapine Toors.—The best loading tool I have ever seen is one that any ordinary mechanic can make for himself. It is simply a block of black walnut, four and 236 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. a half by seven inches, and two and a half inches thick. Through this are bored in alternate rows of three and four, twenty-four holes just large enough to admit a Nowr2ishellS "Over one end o1 these Wolesya picceror half inch maple board is glued, the holes through it being counter-sunk so as to act as wad starters, making the top of the block. The lower side has a flap or cover with small holes opposite the cap on each shell, thus preventing explosion when the wads are driven home. This cover is hung on brass hinges, the sides fastened to the block having slides cut in them instead of ordinary screw holes, thus allowing the cover to be pulled down when shells of greater length than two and a half inches are loaded. If these extension hinges cannot be got, the cover can be fitted with dowels to run up into the block. A block can be made to accommodate No. ro shells in the same way by proper change of proportions. I have seen blocks fitted with mechanical contrivances for filling the shells but I do not like them, because if there is occasion to change the proportions of the charge, this cannot be done with the ease and certainty obtain- able with this simple block, and common Dixon powder and shot scoops. Loaps.—The proper load for a gun, that is, the one which will give the best exhibit in point of pattern and penetration, is not to be decided by any general rule, but must be determined by targeting the gun in question. Much depends upon the way the gun is bored, and some- thing too, I think, upon the peculiarities of the barrels, as guns made by the same maker, and which areas closely ee GUNS AND PIELD EQUIPMENTS: 2 Go NI as possible alike in appearance and target, will be found to vary greatly when different loads from those specified | by the maker are used. To explain what I mean by the last sentence I would say, in all large manufactories all guns of the same bore are targeted with the same loads, and the card which goes with each gun giving its pattern, generally specifies the charge with which it was made; it follows, therefore, that though the gun will make a certain target with a certain charge, its individual peculiarities have not been tested, and I have known of many cases where a better target has been got by a change in charge. Peculiarities can only be discovered by a series of experiments which manufacturers have not time for, but which will amply repay the sportsman to whom a thorough knowledge of his gun’s capabilities is of the highest inportance. The most common mistake is over-charging. This produces excessive recoil, which not only shocks the sportsman, but also causes irregularity of pattern, so that | it must be apparent that to get the best performance from a gun, the load best adapted to it must be used, and this can only be determined by a series of tests. | Simply as a rough approximation I may say, the proper load for a No. 12, is from three to four drachms of powder and one ounce of shot. A No. 1o, will take an extra drachm and an extra half ounce. PowbDER AND SuHot.—After using all the different grades of American powder and the best of the English, I am forced to give preference over all others to Hazard’s Electric. It is simply the cleanest, strongest and most regular in performance of any I have tried in all the Pei lice ee eee 238 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. years ol my sticldsexperence. 1 have tuled Mies vety, thoroughly both in the field and at the target, against the best powder procurable, and have got better results from it than from any other, and I believe if it could be put upon the market at a lower figure, it would be the most popular powder of the day. The care and labor expended upon its manufacture fully warrant its cost, but that cost unquestionably militates against its general use; those, however, who can attord at awill la think, find themselves fully repaid by its hard hitting powers, and the condition of the gun after a day's sport. | The Hazard Powder Co. also manufactures powder of lower grades proportionately good, and in these, sports- men of moderate means will get a better article in my opinion, than can be procured elsewhere at the same price. Next to Hazard’s, in the line of American powder, I like the Oriental, and of the different brands of that make, the “ Falcon Ducking” suits me best. It is a good clean powder of moderate price, well suited to general | shooting, and deservedly popular. That an improvement in powder is demanded by the times, must be self evident. With the best now made we have to contend with dirt, recoil and smoke, which often prevents the use of the second barrel. These must be done away with if powder is to be brought up to an equality with our improved guns. Several vari- eties of powder designed to correct these evils have been put upon the market, but all have been as defective in other respects as they have been effective in this, and consequently none have been generally accepted by the GUNS AND FIELD EQUIPMENTS. public. It is simply a question of time when this want will be supplied, as inventors have solved too many difficult problems to be successfully opposed by this. I do not propose to compare the shot made by dif- ferent companies, since though there is a slight difference in the number of pellets to the ounce, this does not materially affect it for field use. I must, however, say a few words upon the comparative merits of soft and chilled shot. Tested at a target, chilled shot shows the most penetration, because the pellets do not flatten as those of the soft variety do, and as this power of resist- ance is not affected by circumstances, it follows that chilled shot will inflict a deeper and more serious wound upon a bird than soft. For certain kinds of shooting where very hard hitting is required, as at the trap and ducks, chilled shot is unquestionably the superior of the two, but for ordinary field work I think there is more lost than gained by itsuse. In cover, where close shots are the rule, I have found chilled shot cuts birds up much worse than soft, so that a larger proportion of game is rendered worthless; the same objection holds good in quail shooting, where the first barrel is fired quickly to bring the second to bear, so that though in the course of a season a few birds will probably be brought to bag, that from distance would only be wounded by soft shot, this gain does not counterbalance the loss of birds cut to pieces. Apart from this it is not a mat- ter of little moment to break a tooth by biting upon a pellet that will not give, and this I have known occur in two instances. For the trap shooter whose match may be lost by a wounded bird flying out of bounds, or for 240 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. the market shooter, to whom each duck represents money, chilled shot answers well, but the sportsman who shoots for pleasure and takes pride in having his birds look whole and nice, will, I think, be better served by soft shot which kills at all ordinary ranges, when the gun is well aimed. SHooTinG Surrs.—The all round sportsman needs suits of different material adapted to the season, When the weather is warm the so called water-proof duck makes a comfortable and serviceable rig, and if this is made with a thick flannel lining, which can be put in in the fall, it will serve till the extreme cold brings woolen cords into use. I speak of this as “so called water- proof,” because I have never found any that would not wet through if exposed to a heavy shower, or to walking through high grass or bushes loaded with dew. It is, however, much more impervious to wet than any other light material, and the process of water- proofing renders the duck tougher and more lasting in wear. Men past middle age, or those at all inclined to rheumatism, need warm clothing in cold weather. Some writers advocate wearing two or three flannel shirts, but I have found such very awkward as they bundle up the arms and are in the way in all quick shots. I much prefer a suit of imported heavy woolen corduroy, worn over _a thick flannel shirt, and in extreme weather an under vest of chamois leather. This will keep a man warm while he is exercising, no matter how cold it may be, and will not interfere with the use ofthe gun: GUNS AND FIELD EQUIPMENTS. 241 =< All shooting coats should be left open under the arms, that is, the sleeves should not be sewed to the body. This gives perfect freedom from weight when the gun is raised, which can never be the case with a coat of ordinary make when the pockets are loaded with game. Boots AND SHOES.—No matter how strong a walker a man may be, he cannot tramp comfortably unless he is well shod. For dry ground I have found nothing equal to stout, broad soled, low healed shoes, with stout leggins to keep seeds out of the ankles, and prevent the pants catching in briars and sticks. For wet, a water- proof boot is needed, and well-dressed leather is far more comfortable and serviceable than rubber. Messrs. Thompson & Son, of New York, make the best boots and shoes I have ever worn. Their boots, which come up under the knee, are made of well-tanned grained leather thoroughly water-proof, and have a flap on each side of the instep, which laced together, hold the boot firmly over the foot like a laced shoe, thus preventing all slipping at the heal, and at the same time supporting the ankle. , Their shoes are made of the same leather with water-proof tongues, and are as perfect in their way as the boots. I wore one pair of these boots three seasons through wet and snow, and was never drier or more easily shod. Those who want leather goods of any description suited to sportsmen’s use, cannot do better than apply to Messrs. Thompson & Son. For gun and shell cases and trunks as well as boots and shoes, these gentlemen enjoy a well deserved national reputation, 242 AMERICAN KENNEL AND FIELD. and after giving all their goods a thorough trial, I feel I cannot do less than recommend them at this time to the public. Tue Enp. FULL-BLOODED TAN TERRIER. RBCIKCEE SS. THE PUBLISHER'S FAITHFUL DOG. A favorite and gentle pet, And pretty as a dog can be; And who that’s seen her can forget Her capers of wild ecstacy. Though small, she makes a mighty noise, When watching in her master’s store, The terror of unruly boys And tramps that come too near the door. A pleasant word, a tender glance, Will win her favor everywhere ; And she will wag her tail and dance,— Though “ Reckless” she is free from care. : CG We /AWaRICAN, KENNEL AND SPORTING FTRLD. 1 vol. Square 8vo. Jilustrat:d. Reduced Price, $3.00. By Arnotp Burazs, late Editor of the American Sportsman. A Treatise on the Breeding, Breaking, and practical use of fine Dogs, with over 300 Pedigrees of Imported and Native Dogs of the best Strains. (Welow are given the titles of the chapters, by which a general view may be had of the scope and contents of the book : . CONTENTS. ORIGIN OF THE DOG: SOME SPORTING BREEDS—WHAT CONSTITUTES A GOOD DOG—CHOOSING A DOG—DOGS ADAPTED TO SPORTING IN AMERICA—BREEDING —BREAKING YOUNG AND OLD DOGS—KENNEL MANAGEMENT, RECIPES AND TREATMENT OF DISEASES, ETC.,—THE SPORTSMAN’S LIBRARY—PEDIGREES OF ENGLISH SETTERS—PEDIGREES OF GORDON SETTERS—PEDIGREES OF IRISH SETTERS—NATIVE SETTERS—CROSS-BRED SETTERS—POINTERS—SPAN- IELS OF VARIOUS BREEDS—FIELD TRIALS AND BENCH SHOWS [including all the awards made at public shows and trials from Oct., ’74, to Dec., ’75.] “Since the appearance of Frank Forrester‘s standard work on Field Sports, the most valuable addition in kindred literature, - - Beautifully printed, with numerous elegant portraits of distinguished setters. ‘‘— Spirit of the Times. “The whole chapter on (Breaking) is so close and concise in its direct- ions, so stripped of its useless elaborations - that any intelligent boy can break a dog thoroughly well, and any business man can in his brief inter- vals of leisure, make a first and successful attempt at educating a dog over which he can enjoy good sport initsseason. - This chapter on Pedigrees alone is worth more than the cost of the book to any sportsman. - - Its value is incalculable.‘‘—Chicago Field. “This work is by far the best of its kind which has ever been p10- duced in America. - - - Its ‘kennel management’ is perfection.”’— Manchester Mirror and Farmer. “Tt is the very best book of its class that we have seen.”—Phila. Press. gas To be had of all Booksellers, or will be sent to any address, post-paid, on receipt of the price by dD. Ss. HLOUMES, 89 Fourth St., Brooklyn, N. ¥. FIFTH EDITION OF Celebrated Book, On the BREEDING, TRAINING, MANAGEMENT and DISEASES of DOGS; Newly Revised and Enlarged, 400 Pages, ILLUSTRATED WITH 75 WOQD CUTS. Admitted by all to be the best authority and most reliable work ever published on this subject, Rules and Regulations of the Kennel Club, together with cuts of the Dog Show held in New York in 1877, &e.. &e. Price $2.00, mailed free on receipt of Price, by the Publisher D. S. HOLMES, 89 FOURTH STREET, ~ Brooklyn, EH. D a ea =~ aT oa ' H Uy ne p i} He Hk Dae ts emit hy Ue Bi Nh i Hea aati ars Aa Ns Da lias Peek) if! ANE ' ee iN Wnt an i Spire Drillispasi ay iy en > ) Ie 2 €D "Oe Probtites kis ith rey